Delhi High Court seeks report on Yasin Malik’s absence from NIA hearing

The Delhi High Court has requested a report from the Tihar Jail Superintendent regarding the absence of Yasin Malik during a recent hearing. Malik, the leader of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), failed to appear via video conferencing during proceedings involving an appeal by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The NIA is appealing a 2022 trial court decision that sentenced Malik to life imprisonment for terror funding and conspiring to wage war against the Government of India. The agency is seeking to enhance his sentence to the death penalty, arguing that a life term should not be granted simply because a defendant pleads guilty, as this could allow terrorists to avoid capital punishment.

A Division Bench consisting of Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Arun Bhardwaj has ordered that Malik must join the next hearing virtually, which is scheduled for December. The court noted that Malik has expressed a desire to argue the matter himself.