In a significant development, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday granted permission to People's Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed Parra to travel within India. This decision modifies his earlier bail conditions, which had confined him to the Union Territory for years.
A Long-Awaited Relief After Five Years
A division bench comprising Justices Vinod Chatterji Koul and Sanjeev Kumar delivered the order, ending a protracted legal struggle that lasted half a decade. However, the court imposed a specific condition: Parra must inform the trial court about his location and the purpose of his visit each time he intends to travel.
An emotional Waheed Parra welcomed the court's decision while reflecting on the painful period of restriction. He stated that the helplessness he felt when his family needed him, especially during times of grief and loss, has left a permanent mark. Parra credited the judiciary as the one institution that provided hope throughout these difficult years.
"You begin to understand the meaning of freedom only when it is taken from you," Parra said. He added that his experience has made him more deeply aware of the suffering of countless other families living under similar silent burdens.
A Timeline of Legal Challenges and Detention
Waheed Parra's legal troubles began on August 5, 2019 – the very day the Government of India nullified Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. His arrest followed after he publicly questioned the central government's decision on national television. Initially charged under CrPC Section 107 for an alleged breach of peace, he faced six months of detention in a government jail followed by another six months under house arrest.
In November 2020, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested him in a separate terror conspiracy case. However, in a notable order on January 9, 2021, a special NIA court granted him bail. The court observed that offences under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act were "not prima facie made out against the accused."
In a dramatic turn, as Parra was stepping out of jail in Jammu, the J&K Police's CIK wing re-arrested him on the same charges. Despite being incarcerated, he contested and won the 2020 District Development Council elections from jail.
The Path to Bail and Continued Restrictions
Finally, in May 2022, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court granted him bail. The court was critical of the prosecution's evidence, describing it as "too sketchy to be believed prima facie true, that too, with a view to deny bail to applicant." Despite this bail order, the court had not permitted him to travel beyond Jammu and Kashmir, a condition that has now been partially lifted.
The latest order marks a pivotal moment in Parra's long-drawn legal saga. While it restores a degree of his mobility within the country, it maintains judicial oversight through the mandatory reporting requirement to the trial court. The case highlights the complex interplay between politics, law, and personal liberty in the region post the constitutional changes of 2019.
