Yasin Malik tells Delhi HC that he briefed Manmohan Singh on Hafiz Saeed meet

Yasin Malik, the chief of Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), has told the Delhi High Court in an affidavit that following his meeting with Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed in 2006, he personally briefed then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and National Security Adviser N.K. Narayanan added that the same meeting was later used to label him as a terrorist.

Malik, currently serving a life term in a terror funding case, further stated in the affidavit that the meeting with Hafiz Saeed and others in Pakistan took place at the request of India's Intelligence Bureau (IB) when he visited Pakistan for relief work following an earthquake in the neighbouring country.

"Despite working to strengthen the peace table, my meeting was later distorted to brand me a terrorist," Malik said, calling it a case of "classic betrayal,” reported ANI.

Also Read: Even Ajmal Kasab got fair trial in our country: SC tells CBI in Yasin Malik case

‘Meeting used to slap UAPA’

Malik further alleged that following the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, the meeting was taken out of context to justify booking him under the UAPA, adding that he held the talks openly and reported back to the top Indian leadership.

He also said that he was even prepared to face death penalty. "If my death finally gives respite to some, let it be so. I shall go with a smile but with pride and honour on my face," he wrote, drawing a parallel between himself and Kashmiri separatist leader Maqbool Bhat, who was executed in 1984.

Describing death as the “ultimate endgame,” Malik quoted Shakespeare saying, "Be absolute for death; for either death or life shall be the sweeter."

Also Read: SC gives 6 terror case accused time to respond to CBI transfer plea

The backdrop

The affidavit was filed as the Delhi High Court is currently hearing the NIA’s appeal to raise Malik’s life-term to a death sentence in the 2017 terror funding case. The Delhi High Court has asked Malik to file his reply by November 10.

A trial court sentenced Malik to life imprisonment after pleading guilty under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), stating that his case did not qualify as "rarest of rare" for awarding the death penalty.

The NIA's case accused Malik and others, including Hafiz Saeed, Syed Salahuddin, and Shabbir Shah, of conspiring with Pakistan-based groups to fuel unrest in Kashmir. Meanwhile, a UAPA tribunal recently extended the ban on JKLF for another five years, saying no tolerance can be shown to organisations that advocate secessionism.