A Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court on Monday framed charges against separatist JKLF chief Yasin Malik and six others in a 30-year-old militant attack case that left four Indian Air Force officials dead in Srinagar in 1990 .
Refusing to take any defence lawyer in the case, Malik, however, pleaded “not guilty” in the case.
Special Judge NIA Subhash Gupta observed that the prima facie evidence “can safely be considered as incriminating material against all the accused”.
The court mentioned the CBI chargesheet, including documentary and oral confessional evidence recorded under Section 164 of CrPC and Section 15 of TADA, as it framed the charges. “It (evidence) can safely be considered as incriminating material against all the accused... and they further confessed that in furtherance of which, crime was committed by them in the present matter”.
‘Don’t plead guilty’
“I do not plead guilty. It is a fabricated case,” Malik told the court. Sources said the JKLF chief has refused to have anyone as his defence lawyer in the case. He has also questioned reopening of the case after 30 years. Judge Gupta read out the charges to Malik who is lodged in the Tihra Jail, through videoconferencing.
The charges have been framed under sections of Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act of the Ranbir Penal Code. The court will again hear the case on March 30.
“The court has framed charges against all the seven accused, including Yasin Malik and Showkat Bakshi, lodged in Tihar and Ambedkar Nagar jails,” additional public prosecutor Rakesh Singh, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation said.
Four Indian Air Force officials, including Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna, were killed in the attack in Srinagar on January 25, 1990.
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