Jammu:
In a surprising twist from Tihar, separatist chief and jailed chief of the banned terror outfit, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Entrance (JKLF), Yasin Malik, has provided himself for the gallows within the 1990 Sarla Bhat homicide case, declaring he won’t defend the trial at the same time as he introduced divorce from his Pakistani spouse Mushaal Hussein Mullick.
Lodged in Tihar since 2019, Malik filed a 25-page written assertion earlier than the Further Periods Court docket, Srinagar on Wednesday via his lawyer Abu Adil Pandit. The court docket has listed the matter for subsequent listening to on September 19.
In his assertion, Malik mentioned he now not needs to problem the proceedings within the Kashmiri Pandit nurse, Sarla Bhat, homicide case. He, nevertheless, clarified that his withdrawal shouldn’t be construed as an act of contrition.
He claimed he has been falsely implicated resulting from political circumstances however has taken the choice after a lot deliberation and after performing ‘Istikhara’ – an Islamic prayer provided earlier than taking an essential choice.
“I’ll now not contest the trial and the dying penalty could also be thought of for me,” Malik instructed the court docket.
It’s not the primary time Malik has taken such a stand. In Might 2022, when the particular NIA court docket in Delhi convicted him in a terror-funding case, he had refused to contest the fees and was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. The NIA has since been in search of enhancement of his life time period to dying sentence.
In the identical affidavit, Malik introduced his choice to finish his 16-year marriage with Pakistani artist and activist Mushaal Hussein Mullick. The 2 married in 2009 and have a 13-year-old daughter, Razia Sultana.
Mushaal had served as particular advisor on human rights and ladies empowerment in Pakistan’s caretaker authorities from 2023 to 2025.
Malik wrote that for the final eight years he has not been allowed to talk to his spouse on cellphone or see her on video name in jail, nor contact his household. In an emotional word to Mushaal, he wrote: “I’ve taken this choice with nice ache. I do not need Mushaal to stay her complete life carrying the burden of this example or residing like a widow. I need her to start out a brand new chapter of her life with dignity and hope.”
For his daughter, Malik left an emotional enchantment. He requested Razia to maintain her grandmother – his mom – and to talk to her for no less than 5 minutes each day in order that she feels the household’s assist on this troublesome time. He additionally expressed remorse for staying away from the household and never having the ability to spend time with them.
Sarla Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit workers nurse at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, was kidnapped in April 1990 on the peak of militancy within the valley. Her physique was recovered days later. Her killing deepened concern and insecurity among the many Pandit neighborhood and the case remained chilly for over three many years.
In 2025, the State Investigation Company (SIA) of the state police reopened the case and performed raids at areas linked to Malik and others. The chargesheet named Malik, Khurshid Ahmed Chalku, Abdul Hameed Sheikh, Mohammad Yusuf Sofi and Ghulam Mohammad Taploo.
Chalku remains to be on the run whereas Sofi, Sheikh and Taploo are useless, leaving Malik as the important thing residing accused. At the moment serving a life time period in Tihar, Malik can be dealing with trial in a separate homicide case in Jammu.
