Jailed JKLF Chief Challenges Terror Charges, Cites Talks with Seven Indian PMs
Jailed Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik on Friday asserted before the Supreme Court that he is a political leader, not a terrorist, while defending himself against terror-related allegations.
Appearing via video conference before a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, Malik claimed that seven former Prime Ministers of India had engaged in dialogue with him over the years, reinforcing his stance as a legitimate political figure.
Malik Rejects Terrorist Allegations, Questions CBI’s Stand
Malik referred to the arguments made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, who claimed that Malik had been photographed with terrorist Hafiz Saeed—a claim widely covered by media.
📌 Malik’s Defense:
“This statement has created a public narrative against me. The Union government has not declared my organization a terrorist outfit under UAPA. After JKLF’s unilateral ceasefire in 1994, I was granted bail in 32 cases, none of which were pursued until now.”
He further questioned why the present government had revived 35-year-old militant cases against him, despite earlier governments—including those led by P. V. Narasimha Rao, H. D. Deve Gowda, I. K. Gujral, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi (first term)—honoring the ceasefire agreement.
CBI: Ceasefire Not Relevant to the Case
Countering Malik’s claims, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that the ceasefire had no relevance to the ongoing legal proceedings.
Malik further opposed the CBI’s stance that he posed a security threat, arguing:
“I am not a terrorist. I am only a political leader. There is no FIR against me or my organization for providing any hideout to militants. My FIRs are related only to non-violent political protests.”
SC Denies Malik’s Physical Court Appearance, Allows Virtual Cross-Examination
The Supreme Court ruled that Malik will not be physically produced before the Jammu trial court but allowed him to cross-examine witnesses virtually from Tihar Jail.
The ruling came amid the CBI’s plea to transfer trials related to:
🔹 1989 abduction of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of former Union minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed
🔹 1990 Srinagar shootout case
The CBI also challenged the Jammu trial court’s September 20, 2022 order, which had directed that Malik be produced in person to cross-examine prosecution witnesses in the abduction case.
What’s Next?
With the Supreme Court rejecting Malik’s request for a physical trial appearance, the legal battle surrounding the former JKLF leader continues, as the CBI seeks the transfer of trials from Jammu to New Delhi.
