On Thursday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court that a fully operational court, equipped with video conferencing facilities, is available within the Tihar Jail for conducting trials.
This update follows a suggestion made by the Supreme Court on 21 November to explore the possibility of setting up a temporary courtroom in the jail for the trial of terror convict Yasin Malik in two cases related to abduction and murder.
Solicitor General clarified to the bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, “Fully functional court exists in the jail with all the facilities of video conferencing if required and in the past proceedings have taken place there.”
He also mentioned that two fresh applications had been filed, one seeking modification of an earlier order and the other requesting a transfer of the case.
The Supreme Court issued notices to the concerned parties and included the other co-accused as respondents in the case.
The court has scheduled the matter for further hearing in December.
This development came as the court heard the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) plea challenging the Jammu court’s order that called for Malik’s physical presence during trial proceedings.
The CBI, citing security concerns, has argued against transporting Malik, currently held in Tihar Jail, to Jammu and Kashmir. Solicitor General Mehta emphasized that Malik was no ordinary criminal, referencing a photograph showing him alongside Hafiz Saeed.
The Supreme Court had previously stayed the Jammu court’s order, which had issued a production warrant for Malik’s appearance in two separate cases involving the 1989 abduction of Rubaiya Sayeed and the killing of four Indian Air Force personnel.
Mehta Flags Security Risks Over Yasin Malik’s Court Presence
Earlier, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta raised concerns about Yasin Malik’s presence in the Supreme Court. He wrote a letter to the Home Secretary, describing Malik’s presence as a serious security lapse. Mehta feared that Malik could escape, someone could forcibly take him away, or even kill him.
The letter also referenced an order from the Ministry of Home Affairs under section 268 of the Criminal Code of Procedure, which prevents the jail authorities from removing Malik from the jail for security reasons.
Also Read: Supreme Court Dismisses Pleas Challenging ‘Socialist’ & ‘Secular’ In Constitution’s Preamble
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