Mundra drug haul case: Accused tells SC his children ‘bullied’ in school over terror funding allegations

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) then reiterated before the bench of Justices Surya Kant and N K Singh that the proceeds from the heroin smuggling racket, unearthed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), were routed to the Pakistan-based terror group.

Earlier, Sundaram complained to the bench that submissions on terror funding by the NIA counsel, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, while opposing Talwar’s bail plea on Wednesday, were reported by the media and had led to the children of the accused being bullied at school.

Sundaram said they had been called “terrorist children” and had to be brought back from school. “It’s very heartrending. Please see what the papers say…”

Justice Kant said: “I never read this kind of news. I never allow myself to be influenced by any extraneous reading and whether news item or anything.”

Sundaram said: “This case… they are connecting to drug funding of terrorism… the incident of Pahalgam.” He said it was only an NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985) case in which Talwar was seeking bail.

Sundaram said the NIA had not even started an investigation on its claim. “And today… they are getting threat calls in school… so they have had to bring them back from school… the children. Because of this kind of comment, suddenly yesterday, Pahalgam was mentioned.”

He urged the court to clarify that this was simply an NDPS case and had nothing to do with the Pahalgam attack.

Intervening, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said: “I am instructed to say that our investigation has revealed that the proceeds of this money has gone to Lashkar-e-Taiba. That’s what the newspaper reports also say.”

Sundram contested this: “There’s not even one charge, not even one evidence.”

Justice Kant said: “This is not the issue that arises for consideration, therefore let’s not unnecessarily drag it. Sometimes lawyers are carried away by emotions while arguing their cases. It happens on both sides.”

The court also said that ASG Bhati “has not opposed the bail really on this ground”.

Mehta said: “LeT is a part of our investigation. And money is going from the petitioner…”

Sundaram told the SG: “Show me one scrap of paper which you produced in court which says it… Anywhere on the record which says it.”

ASG Bhati said: “The children should not suffer. If that is the issue, the police will take care of it.”

Justice Kant also said no family member of any accused should suffer. “We will take care of that part. We also don’t want to say anything. We will see very well what is to be done.”