The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to Zeeshan Haider and Daud Nasir, who were arrested in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case on November 11, 2023. The two-judge bench, comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih, noted that the accused had been in custody for over a year, and charges had not yet been framed against them. The court considered the prolonged incarceration and the unlikelihood of the trial starting soon as reasons for granting bail.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court emphasized that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) could seek cancellation of bail if delays in the trial were caused by the appellants’ actions or omissions. The court highlighted that the complaint involved 29 witnesses and over 4,000 pages of documents, indicating a lengthy process ahead. Given these factors, the bench concluded that bail was appropriate under the circumstances.
The court directed that the two men be produced before the special court within a week to complete bail formalities and set appropriate conditions for their release. The appellants’ undertakings filed in December 2024 were noted as part of the bail conditions. The Supreme Court’s decision acknowledged the need for fairness given the delay in framing charges and the unlikely commencement of the trial in the near future.
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