"Yasin Malik ended hunger strike, being provided with necessary medical aid": Tihar jail authorities to Delhi HC

New Delhi: The Tihar jail authorities informed the Delhi High Court on Monday that separatist leader and convicted Yasin Malik ended his hunger strike on November 8, 2024, and is being provided with the necessary medical treatment in accordance with jail rules.
The respondent authorities including the Centre and others also opposed the petition filed by convicted separatist leader Yasin Malik, who sought admission to AIIMS due to his alleged deteriorating health. The respondents requested additional time to review the medical status report submitted by the jail authorities before filing a response.
The court of Justice Jasmeet Singh after noting the submissions, scheduled the next hearing for November 18. In the meantime, it directed the jail authorities to ensure that Malik receives appropriate medical care in accordance with the jail manual.
The lawyer representing Yasin Malik expressed dissatisfaction with the rescheduling of the hearing, stating that the legal team will visit Malik at Tihar Jail at 2 pm today to verify the claims made by Tihar authorities that Malik ended his hunger strike on November 8, 2024.
The Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Centre, the Director General of Tihar Jail, and other relevant authorities in response to a plea filed by convicted Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik. Malik claims he has been on a hunger strike since November 1 due to the alleged denial of necessary medical treatment.
After considering the submissions, the court sought a medical status report of Malik from the concerned jail superintendent. In the interim, the court directed the jail authorities to ensure that Malik receives the required medical treatment in compliance with jail rules.
Convicted Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, currently imprisoned at Tihar Jail in Delhi, has filed a petition with the Delhi High Court, stating that he has been on a hunger strike since November 1. Malik is protesting what he claims is the denial of his fundamental rights, including proper medical treatment and attention to his health issues, by the Tihar Jail authorities.
In his plea before the Delhi High Court, Yasin Malik seeks direction from the Tihar Jail Authority to produce records of his medical treatment. He seeks appropriate directions from the court to ensure that he is referred for proper and necessary medical care at AIIMS or any other super-speciality hospital, either in New Delhi or in the Kashmir region, to address his ongoing health concerns.
Additionally, Malik has asked the court to direct the authorities to produce him before the courts in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi whenever his presence is required.
Earlier this year, Yasin Malik had also approached the Delhi High Court, claiming inadequate medical treatment and citing serious cardiac and kidney issues.
Recently, The Tribunal handling matters under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has upheld the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) decision to extend the ban on the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) for another five years.
The MHA had initially extended the ban on March 15, 2024, citing the group's continued involvement in unlawful activities.
The UAPA Tribunal, led by Justice Neena Bansal Krishna of the Delhi High Court, reaffirmed the decision, emphasizing that associations promoting secessionism would not be tolerated. Despite Yasin Malik, the imprisoned leader of the JKLF, asserting that he had renounced armed resistance in favour of a Gandhian approach to achieve their goals since 1994, the Tribunal noted his ongoing links to violent means and groups. The Tribunal remarked that Malik's continued association with wanted terrorists and his admission of having visited a terrorist camp in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), where he was reportedly honoured, could not be overlooked.
The Delhi High Court is currently examining an appeal by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seeking the imposition of the death penalty for Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik in connection with a terror funding case.
Representing the NIA, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that Malik was responsible for the killing of four Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel and the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed. Mehta also highlighted that four terrorists released following the kidnapping were later involved in orchestrating the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.