The
Delhi High Court on Friday directed that separatist leader Yasin Malik be
virtually produced before it from jail in connection with the NIA's plea
seeking death penalty for him in a terror funding case.
Allowing
an application by the jail superintendent citing security concerns, a bench
headed by Justice Siddharth Mridul said the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front
chief, who is presently serving a life term in the case, need not be produced
in person and modified an earlier order seeking his physical presence.
In
view of the matter, the order dated May 29, 2023 is necessarily modified to the
extent that the jail superintendent is directed to produce Yasin Malik in the
present appeal through video conferencing alone on August 9 and not in person,
ordered the bench, also comprising Justice Anish Dayal.
The
high court had, on May 29, issued warrants for production of Malik, who is
presently serving a life term in the case in Tihar jail, on August 9 when NIA's
plea for enhancement of sentence is listed for hearing.
The
Delhi government standing counsel informed the court there was an order by the
President directing that Malik cannot be moved from the Tihar Jail.
The
Supreme Court also expressed its displeasure when he recently appeared before
it in person, he added.