Separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a 1996 terror case and sent to 10 days of custody by a special court on Saturday, officials said.

Shah was detained by the Srinagar branch of the NIA on Friday in connection with a case involving an attack on policemen during the funeral of a militant in 1996.

He was produced before the Patiala House Court in Delhi, which granted a three-day transit remand.

The 72-year-old, who was recently out on bail after nearly seven years in custody in other cases, was produced before the special NIA court in Jammu on Saturday. The agency sought his custodial interrogation in the case, officials said.

After hearing both sides, the court sent him to 10-day NIA custody for questioning. Shah was granted bail by the Supreme Court in a terror-funding case on March 12 and by a Delhi court in a money laundering case on March 28.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wrote on X on Saturday: "Even after serving a life time of 39 years in jail for his political beliefs, Shabir Ahmed Shah sahib now old and criticality ailing, is yet again being persecuted despite the bail granted to him by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. This is very unfortunate and worrying. This revolving door policy completely undermines the justice system, where one case replaces another to ensure continued incarceration."

"We appeal to the Govt of India once again not to prolong the suffering of Shah sahab and his family and let him be set free," he added.