Rubaiya Saeed kidnap case: Yasin Malik seeks physical hearing to cross-examine witnesses

JKLF chief Yasin Malik on Wednesday told a CBI court that he wants to cross question witnesses in the 1989 Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping case himself in a physical hearing else he would sit on hunger strike in prison.

Srinagar (J&K): Muhammad Yasin Malik, president of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), has requested a special court in Jammu on Wednesday for permission to cross-examine witnesses in the 1989 Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping case himself in a physical hearing else threatens to go on hunger strike in prison.

According to a senior court official, "Malik has requested that he may be allowed to appear in person at the Jammu court to cross-examine witnesses in the abduction of Rubaiya Saeed, daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Saeed.

"He has also said it will go on an indefinite hunger strike if not allowed to examine witnesses physically. Malik also claimed that it has written a letter to the central government in this regard. Malik, who is serving a life sentence in a terror funding case, appeared in court today via video conference," he added.

The present case relates to the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, by JKLF on December 8, 1989. She was freed from captivity five days later on December 13 after the then V P Singh government at the Centre, supported by the BJP, released five JKLF terrorists in exchange.

The case had gone into virtual cold storage and was revived after Malik was picked up by the NIA in 2019. In January last year, the CBI, with help from special public prosecutors Monika Kohli and S K Bhat, framed charges against 10 people, including Malik, in the Rubaiya kidnapping case that turned out to be a turning point in the Valley's volatile history. After the release of the five JKLF members, terror groups started raising their heads.

Rubaiya was kidnapped by members of JKLF members from Srinagar to ensure the release of their associates lodged in different jails. In January last year, the CBI, with the help of Special Public Prosecutors Monica Kohli and SK Bhat, framed charges against 10 people, including Malik, in the Rubaiya kidnapping case.

Others charged in the case are Ali Mohammed Mir, Mohammed Zaman Mir, Iqbal Ahmad Gandroo, Javed Ahmad Mir, Mohammedd Rafiq Pahloo, Manzoor Ahmed Sofi, Wajahat Bashir, Mehraj-ud-Din Sheikh and Showkat Ahmad Bakshi. During the investigation, accused Ali Mohammad Mir, Zaman Mir and Iqbal Gandroo voluntarily confessed before a magistrate about their and other's including Malik's role in the Rubaiya kidnapping. Besides, four others made confessional statements before CBI's Superintendent of Police.