During the hearing, the top court directed Yasin Malik to join the proceedings via video conference (VC). The court emphasized that while full facilities for conducting the trial are available at Tihar Jail, they also want to hear Malik's side of the case.
Yasin Malik is currently facing trial in Jammu and Kashmir's TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities) court for his alleged involvement in the murder of four Indian Air Force personnel in 1990 and the 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, the daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Home Minister.
Rubaiya, who was freed five days after her abduction when the then BJP-backed V P Singh government at the Centre released five terrorists in exchange, now lives in Tamil Nadu. She is a prosecution witness for the CBI, which took over the case in early 1990s.
Malik has been lodged in Tihar jail after he was sentenced by a special NIA court in May 2023 in a terror-funding case.
The TADA court had issued a summons for Malik's personal appearance during the hearing. However, the CBI challenged this decision, arguing that Malik's travel to Jammu and Kashmir could disrupt the atmosphere in the region and pose a security risk, particularly to the witnesses involved in the case.
The Supreme Court's decision to postpone the hearing and allow Malik to join via VC is seen as an attempt to address both security concerns and the need for a fair trial.
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