New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS): The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the response from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the bail plea filed by Kashmiri separatist leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan challenging the trial court order denying him bail in December 2022 in a UAPA case of alleged terror funding.

Khan has been in judicial custody since August 14, 2017, after he was arrested the same year on July 24.

A division bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh issued notice on Khan's plea while listing the matter for the next hearing on March 23.

Accused of "creating unrest" in Kashmir, Khan was arrested by the NIA.

Based on a complaint by the Ministry of Home Affairs alleging that Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, multiple separatist leaders with the Hurriyat Conference members were raising funds through hawala and conspired to cause violence in Kashmir, the NIA had registered the FIR.

The case has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The special judge had last month ordered the attachment of All Parties Hurriyat Conference's (APHC) office in the case after the NIA had told the court that Khan, along with his associates also partly owned the property.

According to the NIA, the office situated at Rajbagh was used to strategise various protests, funding activities of stone pelting on security forces and recruiting youngsters to carry out unlawful and terrorist activities to wage war against the Government of India.

The special NIA judge had denied him bail on grounds that there was sufficient evidence available raising grave suspicion about Khan's involvement.