Yasin Malik refuses to further contest case, says ready to accept death sentence for Kashmir

NEW DELHI: Jailed Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik has refused to further contest his case before an Indian court, saying he has no expectation of justice from the country’s judicial system.

Malik submitted a 25-page affidavit before a court in Srinagar, according to details cited in his statement. His written statements dated August 24 have also been made part of the evidence, according to the report.

In the affidavit, Malik alleged that the Indian government had implicated him in a case after 36 years and was seeking to secure his death sentence. He said he would accept any punishment, including the death penalty, but stressed that accepting a judicial sentence would not amount to admitting the charges against him.

Malik also categorically denied allegations linking him to the 1990 killing of Sarla Bhat. He said he had been implicated in the case on the basis of an alleged Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) note found near Bhat's body.

According to Malik, he was severely injured 11 days before Bhat's killing and therefore could not have planned the murder or issued instructions for it.

He further alleged that Indian agencies had asked him to develop ties with Pakistan and that his subsequent engagement was later used as evidence against him.

Malik also claimed that during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, officials including Ajit Doval, Brajesh Mishra and R.K. Mishra had encouraged him to play a positive role in improving Pakistan-India relations.

The Kashmiri leader alleged that his name, photograph and court proceedings were used for political messaging during the 2019 and 2024 elections.