Supreme Court suggests in-prison trial for Yasin Malik amid security concerns
New Delhi, Nov 21: The Supreme Court of India has suggested setting up a makeshift courtroom in jail to cross-examine Kashmiri separatist leader Muhammad YasinMalik, who is currently lodged at Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
This proposal comes after the Central Bureau of Investigation expressed concerns about producing Malik physically in a Jammu court due to alleged security risks.
The CBI argued that Malik’s history of frequent visits to Pakistan and sharing a platform with Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed makes him a high-risk defendant. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that Malik could not be taken to Jammu for trial and raised concerns about witness safety.
The court, however, emphasized the need for a fair trial, citing the example of Ajmal Kasab, the 26/11 Mumbai attack convict who received a fair trial.
Malik was sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2022 by a NIA Court for charges including conspiracy, waging war against India, and militant funding. A separate plea by the NIA seeking the death sentence for Malik is pending before the Delhi High Court.
The court has stayed the orders of a Sessions Judge in Jammu seeking Malik’s physical appearance for cross-examination of witnesses related to the killing of four IAF personnel and abduction of Rubaiya Sayeed. [KNT]
