1989 kidnapping case: Rubaiya Sayeed identifies Yasin Malik in court

Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of former J&K CM Mufti Sayeed, has identified JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik in the case involving her kidnapping in 1989.

Jammu:Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of former Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Mohammad, has identified JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik in the court in the case involving her kidnapping in 1989.

"The statement of witness Rubaiya Sayeed was recorded in court today. She has identified Yasin Malik. 23rd August is the next date of hearing. She has identified 4 accused in total," Monica Kohli, CBI lawyer was quoted saying by news agency ANI. Earlier in the day, Rubaiya reached the Jammu court to record her statement in the case.

Malik was one of the accused in the case of Rubaiya's kidnapping in 1989. Rubaiya, who lives in Chennai, along with her husband, appeared before the TADA court in Jammu as the prosecution's witness 33 years after she was kidnapped allegedly by JKLF members. Malik and nine others were named accused in the sensational kidnapping case.

The CBI took over the case in 2019 after the Union government banned Malik’s JKLF. Rubaiya Sayeed, then a medical intern, was pulled down from a public bus and kidnapped by JKLF militants in 1989. The then J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah had opposed the release of JKLF militants in exchange for Rubaiya.

The Centre sent two ministers to Kashmir to negotiate the release. The Central Bureau of Investigation revived the case in 2019 after the JKLF was banned by the Central government. The CBI told the court that Rubaiya was kidnapped with the motive of getting five terrorists released with Malik allegedly playing a key role in the kidnapping plot.