Srinagar, July 11: A Delhi High Court Judge on Thursday recused himself form hearing National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s appeal seeking death penalty for jailed separatist leader Yasin Malik.
Pertinently, Justice Sharma recently also had recused from hearing bail pleas related to the 2020 Delhi riots.
In a detailed judgment, 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.
