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SC Grants Bail to UAPA Accused After 5-Year Undertrial Custody, Cites 'Bail is Rule' Principle

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
22 May 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:Arrest: October 2021Bail: May 22, 2026Witnesses: ~300
Bodies:Supreme CourtNational Investigation Agency (NIA)Delhi High Court
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.Supreme Court grants bail to Suhail Ahmad Thokar, booked under UAPA in 2021, after nearly five years of undertrial custody.

2.The Bench, headed by CJI Surya Kant, cited the 'bail is the rule' principle and noted the trial would take considerable time.

3.This follows a recent SC judgment criticizing the denial of bail in UAPA cases, highlighting a shift towards balancing security concerns with individual liberty.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The Supreme Court has granted bail to a UAPA accused from J&K, emphasizing the principle that 'bail is the rule, jail is the exception' even in stringent anti-terror laws. This decision underscores the judiciary's role in protecting the right to a speedy trial and personal liberty against prolonged undertrial detention.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Accused NameSuhail Ahmad Thokar
Arrest DateOctober 2021
Bail DateMay 22, 2026
Law InvolvedUnlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)
Trial CourtNIA Court, Delhi
Witnesses in CaseAround 300

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Accused Name: Suhail Ahmad Thokar
  • ›Arrest Date: October 2021
  • ›Target this Data: Accused was arrested in October 2021 and granted bail in May 2026.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was the investigating agency.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: The bail was granted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

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Q1Static LinkageEasy

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was established under which Act?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the news:

1. The Supreme Court granted bail to Suhail Ahmad Thokar, who was arrested in 2021 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

2. The Bench granting bail was headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and it commented extensively on the merits of the evidence against the accused.

3. The bail order came shortly after the Supreme Court, in a different case, observed that the principle 'bail is the rule, jail is the exception' is not an empty slogan.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the news, for approximately how many years was Suhail Ahmad Thokar in custody as an undertrial before being granted bail?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was a primary judicial consideration cited by the Supreme Court for granting bail in this UAPA case?

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