PDP lawmaker Waheed Parra’s travel plea faces SIA opposition in Jammu and Kashmir High Court

Srinagar: Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed Parra’s request to travel outside Jammu and Kashmir has drawn opposition from the State Investigation Agency (SIA), which has urged the High Court to dismiss his application, citing the need to preserve judicial supervision in a pending terror-related case.

In its written reply, the SIA—represented by Additional Advocate General Mohsin S Qadri—called Parra’s application “baseless and meritless,” saying it could “jeopardize the powers of the trial court in proper supervision, conduct and monitoring of trial.”

The agency acknowledged that Parra has not violated any bail conditions since his release but argued that “merely being on bail does not entitle an accused to unrestricted movement,” particularly in cases where “larger public interest and national security” are involved.

The SIA further told the court that Parra “has not come with clean hands” and has “misrepresented facts,” pointing out that a similar petition filed by him in 2023 seeking the same relief is still pending adjudication.

Allowing his current plea, it said, would amount to a “review” of the earlier bail order, which is not permissible, and could set an undesirable precedent for similar cases.

Parra, who represents Pulwama in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, continues to navigate his political responsibilities under the shadow of ongoing investigations. He was first arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in November 2020 for allegedly supporting Hizbul Mujahideen, a banned militant outfit.

Although granted bail by an NIA court in January 2021, he was re-arrested the same day by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in another case alleging a nexus between politicians, militants, and secessionist forces.

After spending nearly 18 months in detention, Parra was granted bail in May 2022. The court, while granting relief, observed that “further detention of the applicant would serve no fruitful purpose as investigation had been completed,” but directed that he “shall not leave the territorial limits of Jammu and Kashmir without prior permission of the trial court.”

Despite his legal troubles, Parra returned to active politics and won the 2024 Assembly elections from Pulwama, symbolising both personal resilience and political relevance in a landscape still marked by security anxieties. His case now underscores a broader challenge—how to ensure that the legal scrutiny of those once accused of grave offences does not permanently eclipse their democratic roles.

The SIA maintains that its opposition is guided purely by procedural prudence and the gravity of charges. For Parra, it is another test of endurance in a years-long journey through courts, custody, and the shifting ground of Kashmir’s politics.