Mahim Gupta
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 22: A Special NIA Court in Jammu has dismissed the bail plea of Insha Jan, the lone woman accused in the 2019 Pulwama terror conspiracy — a case that laid bare her alleged romantic ties to Mohammad Umar Farooq, the Pakistani terrorist and nephew of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar who masterminded the attack that killed over 40 CRPF soldiers.
Farooq, described by investigators as the key conspirator behind the February 14, 2019 bombing, was gunned down by security forces in Kashmir in March 2019. The NIA told the court that Insha Jan remained in constant touch with him over phone calls and social media even as he plotted the strike, and that her own father, Tariq Pir — also under arrest — knew of the relationship and allegedly said nothing.
Special Judge Prem Sagar, in a detailed 15-page order, ruled that the material on record made a prima facie case against Insha Jan, invoking the stringent bail bar under Section 43-D(5) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Insha Jan, alias Insha Tariq, a resident of Harkipora village in Pulwama, was arrested alongside her father on March 3, 2020. She faces trial under the Ranbir Penal Code, UAPA, the Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act, with charges framed against her in December 2022.
The NIA chargesheet paints her home as a hideout for the Pulwama plot. Farooq and fellow Pakistan The NIA told the court that Insha Jan remained in constant touch with him over phone calls and social media even as he plotted the strike.
The girl’s father , Tariq Pir — also under arrest — knew of the relationship and allegedly said nothing.
Insha Jan’s counsel pointed to more than 6-years in custody and a trial crawling at a snail’s pace — only 49 of 240 listed witnesses examined so far.
The NIA pushed back hard, calling the case among the gravest in the UAPA’s ambit and insisting Insha Jan had knowingly given safe haven to terrorists.
Arguing for bail, Insha Jan's counsel pointed to more than six years in custody and a trial crawling at a snail's pace — only 49 of 240 listed witnesses examined so far. None of them, the defence contended, had linked her to the crime, and no incriminating material had ever been recovered from her. Her deteriorating health was also cited.
The NIA pushed back hard, calling the case among the gravest in the UAPA's ambit and insisting Insha Jan had knowingly given safe haven to terrorists.
The court sided with the agency, holding that granting bail could open the door to witness tampering. It also rejected the health plea, finding her condition not serious enough to warrant release, though it directed jail authorities to ensure she receives proper medical care. The judge clarified that these bail-stage observations would not influence the final verdict in the trial. |
