On May 18, 2026, the Supreme Court of India granted bail to a Jammu and Kashmir man accused in a narco-terrorism case, who had been an undertrial for five years. The court emphasized that bail should be the default position even in cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This ruling reflects the court's concern over recent judgments that have eroded the right to personal liberty, particularly in UAPA cases. A Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan reiterated the principles established in the 2021 K.A. Najeeb case, which underscored the necessity of upholding individual rights. The court criticized smaller benches for diluting the reasoning of larger benches without proper justification, leading to unjust bail denials. Justice Bhuyan pointed out that if courts blindly accepted the investigating agency's prima facie accusations, it could result in punitive pre-trial incarceration, effectively violating the right to a speedy trial as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. The judgment arose from a special leave petition challenging a High Court decision that had previously denied bail, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to stringent bail provisions under UAPA.