The National Investigation Agency claimed that Yasin Malik used contacts with Pakistan’s PM and President to push Kashmir’s secession agenda. The High Court will now hear arguments on whether his life sentence in the terror funding case should be increased.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has informed the Delhi High Court that Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik maintained contact with senior leadership in Pakistan, including its Prime Minister and President, and allegedly used these connections to promote the idea of separating Jammu and Kashmir from India.
In a detailed affidavit filed before the High Court, the NIA strongly opposed Malik’s arguments that he had been engaged by several Indian Prime Ministers in the past to discuss and resolve the Kashmir issue. The agency clarified that such interactions have no relevance to the criminal charges against him and cannot excuse his actions in terror-related activities.
“It is manifest that the accused, Yasin Malik, was in contact with the top leadership of Pakistan, including the Prime Minister, the President, senators of the Pakistani Senate, and the Chief Ministers of all provinces, and was using such contacts to propagate narratives against India and to further the secessionist agenda in Jammu & Kashmir,”
the NIA said in its affidavit filed before the High Court.
The agency further argued that Malik’s references to his interactions with Indian politicians, bureaucrats, media personnel, and foreign delegates are attempts to gain public sympathy and popularity, rather than being relevant to the case.
According to the NIA, merely mentioning such high-profile individuals does not weaken the evidence against him, especially in light of his alleged links with militants such as Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin.
“It is humbly submitted that the convict himself has admitted that he was the Commander-in-Chief of JKLF [Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front]. Rest of the matters related to taking names of Senior Politicians, Media personnel, foreign delegates and Bureaucrats is only with a view of gaining popularity and to draw sympathy of the public and has no bearing to the merit of the instant case,”
the NIA affidavit said.
This rejoinder affidavit was filed in response to Malik’s earlier submission opposing the NIA’s plea seeking the death penalty in a terror funding case. A trial court has already sentenced him to life imprisonment.
In his defence, Malik had claimed that after his arrest in 1990, he was engaged by six successive Indian governments—from V. P. Singh to Manmohan Singh—to discuss the Kashmir issue and contribute towards its resolution.
ALSO READ: Delhi High Court Gives Yasin Malik 4 Weeks to Reply in NIA’s Death Penalty Appeal
He also stated that he met Pakistan-based militant Hafiz Saeed and others in 2006 at the request of an Intelligence Bureau official. Additionally, he referred to his interactions with the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and meetings with Ajit Doval, who was then serving as IB Special Director.
Malik further claimed that Doval had visited him in jail in the early 2000s and informed him about his release.
However, the NIA dismissed all such claims, stating that they do not affect the legal findings or the conviction already recorded against him.
“The said matters pertain to the accused’s personal communications with senior politicians and other forums of the Indian Government, which are within his exclusive knowledge, and appear to have been raised solely to elicit public sympathy.”
The matter came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja. During the proceedings, Malik submitted that he had not yet received the NIA’s rejoinder affidavit.
Considering this, the Court adjourned the matter to July, when it will hear arguments on whether Malik’s sentence should be enhanced.
The NIA was represented by Special Public Prosecutor Akshai Malik along with advocate Khawar Saleem. Notably, Yasin Malik is currently arguing his case in person before the Court.
Click Here to Read More Reports On Yasin Malik
