Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, on Thursday appeared virtually before a special court in Jammu in connection with the Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping case, in which he is an accused.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued directions restricting Malik’s movement to appear in person before a Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court. “Hearing was held in Rubaiya Sayeed abduction case. Yasin Malik was to be produced in court as per the production warrant by the court but due to the MHA order of restrictions on his movement, he was not produced and attended the hearing virtually,” CBI lawyer Monika Kohli said.
Rubaiya did not appear in court since she was granted exemption by the court. The next date for the hearing is 24 November. Rubaiya Sayeed, the sister of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti and daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was abducted by the JKLF militants on 8 December, 1989.
Notably, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in May this year awarded life imprisonment to Yasin Malik in a terror funding case. It also imposed a fine of Rs.10 lakh on him.
Yasin Malik was sentenced to life imprisonment twice. The NIA had sought the death penalty for the separatist leader.
