Yasin Malik’s case must be reviewed, reconsidered: Mehbooba after NIA sought death penalty for separatist leader

PTI, May 27, 2023, 4:32 PM IST

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik’s case must be reviewed and reconsidered as in a democracy like India even the assassins of a prime minister were pardoned.

Her remarks came a day after the NIA pleaded for the death penalty to the separatist leader, who was awarded a life term by a trial court in Delhi in a terror funding case last year.

Mehbooba also lashed out at her former party and cabinet colleague Altaf Bukhari, saying those gleefully supporting Malik’s hanging were a grave threat to ”our collective rights”.

Bukhari, the president of Apni Party, said deterrent measures should be taken against those trying to threaten the country’s security.

”In a democracy like India where even the assassins of a PM were pardoned, the case of a political prisoner like Yasin Malik must be reviewed and reconsidered. The new political ikhwan gleefully supporting his hanging are a grave threat to our collective rights,” Mehbooba said on Twitter.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday approached the Delhi High Court seeking the death penalty for the Kashmiri separatist leader, asserting that not giving capital punishment to such a ”dreaded terrorist” will result in the miscarriage of justice.

The plea by the NIA has been listed for hearing on May 29 before a bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh.

”NIA’s plea demanding the death penalty for Yasin Malik highlights the urgency to address militant funding in Jammu and Kashmir. We must ensure justice prevails and deterrent measures should be taken against those who are trying to threaten our nation’s security,” Bukhari wrote on Twitter.