New Delhi, Jan 28: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday gave the National Investigation Agency (NIA) four weeks to file its rejoinder to separatist leader Yasin Malik’s reply in the terror funding case, where the agency is seeking death penalty for him. The matter will now be heard on April 22.
Malik, appearing virtually from Tihar jail where he is serving life imprisonment, accused the NIA of “wasting time” and causing him “trauma” by repeatedly seeking adjournments in the appeal filed in 2023. However, Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja remarked there was no urgency as he is already serving a life sentence.
The NIA counsel said Malik took one year to file his reply, which was lengthy and contained content “not related” to the case. The agency also informed the court it was seeking an in-camera hearing.
A trial court had sentenced Malik, chief of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), to life imprisonment in May 2022 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code for terror funding.
In its 2023 appeal, the NIA argued that if “dreaded terrorists” avoid capital punishment by pleading guilty, it would undermine sentencing policy. The agency called the trial court’s decision not to award death penalty legally flawed.
In his 85-page reply, Malik claimed he spent nearly three decades as part of a state-sanctioned “backchannel” mechanism, working with prime ministers and intelligence chiefs to foster peace in Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged the state was now trying to “erase” this history of engagement.
