NIA seeks harsher sentence for Yasin Malik in politically motivated case
New Delhi : India’s dreaded National Investigation Agency has sought enhancement of the sentence of jailed Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Muhammad Yasin Malik before the Delhi High Court, in what is being viewed as a politically motivated attempt to further punish a prominent voice of Kashmir’s freedom movement.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the NIA in its rejoinder affidavit pressed for the death penalty for Muhammad Yasin Malik, who is already serving a life sentence in a controversial case widely criticized by rights defenders and political observers. The agency dismissed Malik’s defence that he had engaged with successive Indian governments and Pakistan’s leadership over the Kashmir dispute, terming such political and diplomatic interactions “irrelevant” to the charges.
The NIA alleged that Malik’s contacts with Pakistan’s Prime Minister, President and other senior officials were aimed at advancing a so-called freedom ‘agenda’ in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It further claimed that his references to Indian politicians, bureaucrats, media figures and foreign delegates were intended to gain sympathy and popularity.
The agency also cited Malik’s association with the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front.
Analysts say these allegations are part of India’s continued strategy to criminalize Kashmir’s legitimate political struggle and silence pro-freedom leadership through judicial means.
During the hearing, Yasin Malik informed the court that he had not received a copy of the NIA’s rejoinder affidavit, prompting the bench to adjourn the matter until July for further arguments. The case is being heard by a division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja.
Political experts and human rights observers have said India has increasingly weaponized courts and draconian laws against Hurriyat leaders and activists in occupied Jammu and Kashmir to suppress the internationally recognized right to self-determination movement.
