Delhi Court Orders Trial Against Yasin Malik, Six Others in ₹8.9 Crore Money Laundering Case
By : Sheikh Mohammad Isa
A special court in New Delhi has ordered a trial against separatist leader Yasin Malik and six others in an alleged ₹8.9 crore money laundering case, according to a report by Greater Kashmir.
The other accused are Zahoor Ahmed Shah Watali, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Naval Kishore Kapoor, Trison Farms and Construction Pvt Ltd, and Masarat Alam Bhat.
According to the report, the accused allegedly received funds through hawala channels from the Pakistani establishment. The alleged transactions are said to have been intended to support secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The case originated from an investigation registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2017. The accused face charges under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Special NIA Judge Prashant Sharma reportedly ordered the trial to proceed, with the recording of prosecution evidence scheduled to begin on November 19. The hearing was held in a closed courtroom.
Malik appeared through video conferencing from Tihar Jail and denied the charges, stating that he would contest the case.
Court had framed charges under PMLA
In September, the court reportedly framed charges against Malik and the six other accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The prosecution alleges that the accused received funds from the Pakistani establishment and other organisations designated as terrorist groups to support secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The court found sufficient prima facie grounds to frame charges against all seven accused under Section 3 of the PMLA, which deals with the offence of money laundering and is punishable under Section 4.
The case will now proceed to trial, where the prosecution will be required to present evidence in support of its allegations. The accused will have the opportunity to challenge the evidence and defend themselves.
The charges remain allegations to be established through the judicial process. Malik has denied the charges, and the outcome will be determined by the court on the basis of the evidence presented.
