NEW DELHI — Sehar Shabir Shah, daughter of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, broke down in tears outside the Supreme Court of India on Thursday moments after the court granted him bail in a terror-funding case.
The 24-year-old MBA graduate described the decision as the “end of a long wait for justice” after years of legal struggle.
Standing alone outside the court complex, Sehar recounted a night of intense anxiety and prayer before the bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta flagged her father’s long incarceration and granted him relief in the 2017 terror-funding case.
The bail was granted after the Delhi High Court denied Shabir Shah relief in June 2025, citing concerns over witness influence.
However, the apex court bench pointed out several anomalies in the trial and noted the prolonged period of Shabir Shah’s imprisonment.
While the detailed order is awaited, the top court indicated that Shabir Shah, who remains in Tihar Jail as he is also facing trial in an Enforcement Directorate case, will be subject to stringent bail conditions.
“Last night was one of the hardest in my life. I was fasting and praying through the night, holding on to faith,” Sehar told PTI.
The weight of the moment triggered repeated panic attacks.
“I had panic attacks through the night and again this morning because I had only one thought – I would not return home without justice for my father,” she said.
When the news of the bail finally broke, the composure she had maintained during the hearing shattered.
“I completely broke down outside the court. I cried for almost two hours. Even now, I cannot stop crying because this moment feels unreal after years of pain.” Invoking the Quranic verse “Nasrun minallahi wa fathun qareeb” (Help from Allah and a near victory), Sehar said the day’s proceedings reaffirmed her belief in the legal system.
“We always had faith in the judiciary, and today that faith stands affirmed. Justice may be delayed, but today it has begun to prevail,” she said.
While the bail marks a significant legal victory, Sehar emphasised that the battle for her father’s well-being is far from over.
Shabir Shah, who has been in custody since his arrest by the NIA in 2019, is reportedly in poor health.
“Please continue to keep my father in your prayers as he is seriously unwell and in urgent need of care,” she appealed, thanking those who supported the family through what she described as their “darkest nights.” — (PTI)