Supreme Court Directs Delhi Special Court to Complete UAPA Trial Within One Year

The Supreme Court has directed a Delhi special court to complete the hearing of a UAPA case within one year. The case is related to allegations that youths were allegedly being influenced through the internet towards the ideology of extremist organisations such as ISIS. The top court issued the direction while hearing a petition filed by Mohammad Hidayatullah, who had challenged a January 2025 Delhi High Court order denying him bail. The Supreme Court bench said the matter could be taken up regularly as required. The court directed the special court to first ensure that the examination of all witnesses is completed within six months. It further asked the court to ensure that the entire trial is concluded within one year. The case was registered under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Hidayatullah in October 2022. According to the investigating agency, Hidayatullah was allegedly promoting the ideology of ISIS through the internet. During the investigation, the agency also claimed to have recovered objectionable material from his electronic devices. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the NIA, informed the court that charges had been framed against eight accused in the case and that there were a total of 14 witnesses. On the other hand, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the accused had been in custody for nearly four years. Taking the submissions into consideration, the Supreme Court disposed of the petition and directed the special court to complete the proceedings in a time-bound manner.