Yasin Malik says he will argue his case against NIA; refuses Delhi High Court's legal aid offer

Kashmiri Separatist leader Yasin Malik on Friday refused to accept Delhi High Court suggestion to have a counsel of his choice to argue his case against the plea filed by National Investigation Agency (NIA) seeking death penalty for him. .Malik told a Division Bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Girish Kathpalia that he will argue the case himself. The Court had earlier said that he can choose a counsel himself or the court can appoint an amicus curiae in the matter to argue Malik's case.However, Malik appeared before the Court today through video conference and said he does not want any lawyer to represent him. "In the trial court, I argued myself. I will argue myself because I know much better about this case. I will argue in person. I didn’t engage any lawyer in the trial court. I don’t want any lawyer here also," he said. The convicted separatist leader further stressed that he wants to appear before the Court in person and not through VC. However, the Bench said that there an earlier order of the High Court which has mandated his presence through VC because of the security threat. The Court said that Malik can challenge the order before the Supreme Court, if he wants. Malik said he is not inclined to do that either. The Court then recorded his refusal to file reply to NIA plea or a written submission. It added that he can rethink his decision and inform the Court on the next date of hearing. The case will be heard next on September 15. .NIA has appealed against a trial court order awarding life imprisonment to Malik, who had pleaded guilty in the case under Section 120B, 121, 121A of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 13 and 15 of UAPA read with 120B of the IPC besides Sections 17, 18, 20, 38 and 39 of UAPA.In a detailed judgement, the special NIA Court in May 2022 observed that Malik betrayed the good intentions of the government by choosing the violent path.The judge had also rejected Malik's argument that he had become a Gandhian after 1994..The NIA had demanded capital punishment for Malik before the trial court as well. However, the prayer was refused by the trial court stating that death penalty should be awarded only in exceptional cases "where the crime by its nature shocks the collective consciousness of the society".The NIA then moved the present appeal before the High Court seeking death penalty for Malik. On May 29, the Court had issued notice on the appeal.