The Delhi High Court has adjourned the hearing to February 14, 2024, in response to the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) plea for the death penalty for Yasin Malik, the chief of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Malik, already serving a life sentence in a terror funding case, will be produced via video conferencing (VC) from Tihar Jail for the next hearing, as directed by Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Shalinder Kaur.
Last year, Malik had pleaded guilty and was handed a life sentence by a special NIA court for various offences under the IPC related to a terror funding case. The NIA is contesting this order and seeking the death penalty for Malik.
The Solicitor General expressed concerns last year that terrorists might strategically plead guilty to avoid harsher penalties, creating a precedent. There have been instances where Malik was summoned by courts, prompting security concerns. The President's order restricted Malik from being moved out of jail or taken from Delhi for a specified period.
In one incident, Malik appeared before the Supreme Court for an appeal filed by the CBI related to kidnapping and murder cases against him. The court, considering the President's order and security risks, modified its earlier directive, allowing Malik to appear via video conference.
The prison authorities suspended four officers following a security lapse that resulted in Malik being brought out of jail erroneously, highlighting the gravity of the situation and the need for stringent security measures.
(With Agency Inputs)
