‘No involvement, got to know of Sarla Bhat killing months later’: Yasin Malik

JKLF chief Yasin Malik has denied involvement in the killing of Sarla Bhat, claiming that he got to know of the murder of the Kashmiri Pandit nurse only in February 1991 – months after her death in April 1990. This comes over two months after the State Investigation Agency (SIA) filed a 737-page chargesheet in a special NIA court in Srinagar in June, naming Malik as a key accused in Bhat's abduction and killing.

With regard to the SIA stating in its chargesheet that Bhat was killed on the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front's (JKLF) assumption that she was passing along information to the security forces, Malik, in an affidavit recently filed before the Additional Sessions Judge (TADA/POTA) Court in Srinagar, said, “The very framing of this question is deeply offensive to the memory of the deceased.” “Despite the mass migration of Kashmiri Pandits that commenced on 19 January 1990, Ms.

Sarla Bhat and her family chose to remain in the Valley alongside their Kashmiri Muslim neighbours despite the prevailing uncertainty and danger,” he said in the affidavit. It is, therefore, he said, “both unjust and insensitive to attribute such a baseless motive without any credible evidence whatsoever.” He said that in June, officers of the SIA visited him in Tihar jail, where he remains lodged since 2019, and questioned him on his alleged involvement in Bhat's murder.

In the 25-page affidavit, Malik stated that on that day in April, 1990, he along with Showkat Bakshi, Javed Zargar, and Iqbal Gandroo, reached a house at Hafiz Bazaz. “Within approximately 20 minutes, the premises were raided by the Border Security Force (BSF).” In an attempt to escape, he jumped from the fifth floor of the building, sustaining grievous injuries, he said.

“I began bleeding profusely and soon lost consciousness. My associates were apprehended during the raid,” he added. After this, Malik said he was in a coma for many days and his whereabouts were not known to his organisation.

He said that in subsequent years, the government of India initiated a dialogue process with him. He said Special Director, Intelligence Bureau (IB), Ajit Kumar Doval met him and arranged for him to meet then National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra.

“Historical record demonstrates that I had sustained life-threatening injuries on 8 April 1990, remained in a coma, and was widely reported to have died. Indeed, I was declared dead on two occasions – first on 8th April 1990 and again on 27 April 1990, the day of Eid, according to reports circulated at the time.

It is therefore incomprehensible how a person who was unconscious, fighting for his own survival … could have participated in, directed or orchestrated the commission of the offence alleged by the prosecution,” he said in the affidavit.

Malik also wrote that he first came to know of Bhat’s murder in February 1991. Towards the end of his affidavit, Malik stated: “I wish to clarify that I have no complaint against this Hon'ble court or the prosecuting agencies.

I respectfully state that, in my understanding, the present proceedings have arisen out of political circumstances and decisions and, I believe, I have been falsely implicated in the present case.” He also addressed his wife and daughter, who live in Pakistan.

To his wife Mashal, he said, “I do not want you to spend the rest of your life carrying the burden of my circumstances or living as a widow. I, therefore, request you to find the courage to begin a new chapter of your life with dignity and hope.” In June this year, officials had called the filing of chargesheet against Malik a “historic milestone in the pursuit of justice for victims of terrorism”, adding it stood as “one of the most significant breakthroughs in the investigation of legacy terror crimes in Jammu and Kashmir”.