SRINAGAR: Zahoor Watali, the businessman who was arrested by federal investigator NIA in 2017 is out of jail but under house arrest, reports appearing in the media said. He is suffering from cancer and the court has allowed him treatment from his home.
The family had applied for his bail earlier but the court had rejected it. However, later the court sought suggestions from the AIIMS doctor, apparently on basis of which he was permitted to move out of jail and get treated from home. He, however, will remain under house arrest, in judicial custody.
Granting the concession, the court has prevented his meeting with any other person other than the family and his counsel. The prosecution had opposed the bail saying since his grandchildren were unaware of his detention, they will form an “adverse opinion” about him, an argument court disagreed with.
Watali was arrested by the NIA in 2017 for his alleged terror funding activities. The federal investigator has said it has conclusively established his involvement in the terror finding using the hawala route and barter trade of LoC.
It was during his detention that he was diagnosed with cancer. On basis of the terminal sickness, some political beings in Srinagar pleaded for his bail on humanitarian grounds, earlier denied by the Supreme Court.
