Delhi High Court To Hear On August 4 Application To Produce JKLF Chief Yasin Malik Virtually In NIA’s Plea For Death Penalty In Terror Funding Case

The Delhi High Court will hear on August 04 an application moved by the Tihar jail authorities to produce Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, convicted in a terror funding case, via video conferencing in an appeal moved by National Investigation Agency seeking death penalty for him.

While the matter was listed for hearing today before a division bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Anish Dayal, the same could not be heard as the bench did not assemble.

The application has sought modification of an earlier order passed on May 29 issuing production warrants against Malik for August 09. Malik’s production is therefore sought through video conferencing by the jail authorities, “citing heavy security issue.”

The jail authorities, in the application, submitted that Malik has been lodged under the category of very high risk prisoners and thus, it is imperative that he is not physically produced in order to maintain public order and safety.

Malik was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special NIA court in May last year. He had pleaded guilty in the case and did not contest to the charges against him.

While awarding him life sentence, Special Judge Praveen Singh had observed that the crime failed the test of rarest of rare case as held by the Apex Court.

The judge had also rejected Malik's submission that he had followed Gandhian principle of non violence and was spearheading a peaceful non violent struggle.

The court had framed charges against Malik and various others under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the case, in March last year.

Others who were charged and claimed trial were Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Salahuddin, Rashid Engineer, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Shahid-ul-Islam, Altaf Ahmad Shah @ Fantoosh, Nayeem Khan, Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate.

However, the Court had discharged three men namely Kamran Yusuf, Javed Ahmad Bhatt and Syeda Aasiya Firdous Andrabi.

Title: STATE (NATIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY) v. MOHD YASIN MALIK