The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the bail appeal of Alemla Jamir, a prominent figure associated with the Nagaland-Isaac Muivah (NSCN-IM) faction, thereby affirming the trial court’s previous denial of bail.
Jamir’s challenge pertained to an ongoing National Investigation Agency (NIA) case, wherein her involvement in alleged terror financing activities is under scrutiny. The division bench, comprising Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, rejected the appeal, with the detailed judgment pending publication.
Jamir’s bail plea had been under consideration since November 2024, following the dismissal of her second application by the Special NIA Court on May 31, 2024. Advocate Kartik Venu represented her throughout the legal proceedings. The 2nd application was initiated after the High Court, on December 14, 2023, accorded her the liberty to seek relief from the trial court once more. On that same date, Jamir withdrew a previous appeal challenging the rejection of her initial bail request.
The first bail application, dismissed by the Special NIA Court on December 12, 2022, was subsequently brought before the High Court in July 2023. In its order, the Special NIA Court cited substantial evidence indicating the existence of a parallel governance framework operated by NSCN-IM, which lacked legitimacy under any formal peace accords.
The court deemed the allegations against Jamir credible, specifically referencing her role in facilitating significant financial transactions purportedly intended for terrorist activities. These transactions, reportedly orchestrated by Phungthing Shimrang—an absconding key figure believed to be residing in China—were supplemented by the recovery of arms and ammunition attributed to Jamir.
Further complicating her case, the court underscored the fact that Jamir’s husband remains a fugitive in China, thereby increasing the likelihood of her absconding or potentially exerting undue influence on local witnesses.
Consequently, the court concluded that no sufficient grounds existed to warrant bail as of December 12, 2022. Earlier, on July 3, 2020, her default bail plea was similarly rejected, with the High Court upholding this decision on May 1, 2023.
Jamir was apprehended at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on December 17, 2019, in possession of Rs. 72 lakh in cash, for which she was unable to furnish a satisfactory explanation regarding its provenance. This led to her arrest by the NIA under provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Investigations indicated that the seized funds were earmarked for supporting NSCN-IM’s militant operations and other insurgent activities within Indian territory.
The NIA has since filed a charge sheet, and the matter is presently at the evidentiary stage. Concurrently, the Enforcement Directorate has lodged a case against Jamir under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), with formal charges already framed. This parallel proceeding, too, remains at the evidentiary phase.
This case exemplifies the broader national security challenges posed by terror financing and insurgent group activities. With the High Court’s dismissal of Jamir’s appeal, the focus now shifts to the adjudication of the substantive evidence in the ongoing legal process.
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