Terror Funding Case: Delhi High Court Seeks Yasin Malik's Response On NIA's Plea Seeking Death Penalty For Him

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought response of Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik in the appeal moved by National Investigation Agency (NIA) seeking death penalty for him in a terror funding case.

A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Shalinder Kaur asked Malik to file his response within four weeks and listed the matter for hearing on November 10.

Advocate Akshai Malik, special counsel for NIA, referred to an order passed on August 09, 2024, wherein Malik had stated that he will defend his case himself. In the said order, it was directed that Malik would be present virtually and not physically due to security threat.

Today, Malik had not appeared virtually. Therefore, the Bench directed that he would appear virtually on the next date of hearing.

Malik was awarded life sentence in the case by the trial court in May 2022. He had pleaded guilty in the case and did not contest the charges against him.

While awarding Malik a life sentence, the Special Judge had observed that the crime failed the test of the rarest of rare cases as held by the Apex Court.

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

The court had framed charges against Malik and various others under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the case, in March 2022.

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: NIA v. Yasin Malik