Court Denies Bail, Cites Threat of Witness Tampering
The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a request for interim bail filed by OMA Salam, Chairman of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), who sought release following the death of his daughter.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma rejected the plea, citing concerns over Salam’s potential influence on witnesses, given his stature. The Court stated, “Enlarging him on bail has the potential to influence the witnesses… the present case is not justified for interim bail.”
Earlier, Salam’s plea for interim bail had also been rejected by the trial court.
Salam, currently facing charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), was arrested in 2022 during a large-scale crackdown on the PFI by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Authorities accuse the PFI and its members of raising funds and orchestrating a criminal conspiracy to commit acts of terror, allegedly holding training camps to indoctrinate and train their cadres.
In his plea, Salam’s lawyer had argued for his release, allowing him to grieve with his family following the loss of his daughter. Despite this, the court emphasized that his influence and position posed a risk to the ongoing investigation and the integrity of witness testimonies.
(With inputs from agency)
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