Lifer for Yasin Malik: Many pending cases still seek delivery of justice

Srinagar: A terrorist trained on the soil of Pakistan, who later became the chief of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, Yasin Malik is a nightmare which is not over yet. A plethora of cases against Malik, convicted and sentenced for life in a NIA terror funding case on Wednesday by a court, is a can of worms waiting to be opened.

To top the list of cases is the case of the killing of four Indian Air Force personnel in Kashmir in 1990. The trial for this case began after three decades. The trial in this case resumed after the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) High Court, earlier this year, lifted the stay on his trial ordered in 1995.

   

On January 25, 1990, a group of terrorists, led by Yasin Malik, fired at Air Force personnel, including a Squadron Leader, Ravi Khanna, who died in the attack, while 22 other personnel were injured.

The CBI had filed a chargesheet in the case in 1990 itself. Apart from Malik, others accused in the IAF case include BA Sofi, Mohd Rafiq Pehlu alias Nanaji, Javed Ahmed Mir and Showkat Ahmad Bakshi. At least three of the accused, including JKLF founder Amanullah Khan, the suspected mastermind of the attack, have passed away while four, who were declared absconders by the court on September 17, 1990 are yet to be arrested. But, the case went quiet.

Several people believe that the case went inactive because Yasin Malik enjoyed privilege and power for so many years at the expense of the Indian establishment.

During the course of the recently concluded terror funding court hearing, Yasin Malik admitted that he has worked with seven former Prime Ministers. Malik was involved in back-channel talks with the Government of India for several years till 2009. He even met then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his official 7 Race Course Road residence in Delhi in 2006.

In a television interview in 2014, Yasin Malik had claimed that for the past 24 years former Prime Ministers have facilitated meetings between Kashmiri separatists and visiting Pakistani leaders in India.

In response to the life sentence awarded to Yasin Malik, Shalini Khanna, wife of slain Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna, said, “though many people would have got relief today, but I am not at peace,”. Khannna said that she has vowed to fight till last breath for justice for her late husband.

Similarly, there are many other cases where justice is yet to be delivered.

On December 8, 1989, Yasin Malik and his associates kidnapped Rubaiya Sayeed, the daughter of then Union Home Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

On 9 January, 1990 two members of the Hindu community were reportedly killed by Yasin Malik at Chanapora Srinagar. On January 27, 1990, two members of the Hindu community were killed by Yasin Malik at Kralpora, in Budgam.

According to an estimate, there are about 80 cases of terror crimes that Yasin Malik and his organisation Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) – which is now banned under UAPA has committed.

Yasin Malik also orchestrated violent protests in 2016 which claimed more than 100 civilian lives lost and public properties worth crores got damaged.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

fifteen − 10 =