Yasin Malik: Denies Sarla Bhat Murder in 1990 Case

• Yasin Malik has denied his involvement in the 1990 murder of Kashmiri Pandit nurse Sarla Bhat, following a chargesheet filed by the SIA.
• The State Investigation Agency (SIA) filed a 737-page chargesheet in June 2026, naming Malik and Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo as masterminds in the Sarla Bhat rape-murder case.
• Malik, currently serving a life sentence, filed an affidavit claiming he was comatose and declared dead around the time of the alleged crime on April 19, 1990.
• The chargesheet also names three other deceased JKLF members and one absconding individual in connection with the Kashmiri Pandit nurse murder 1990.
• This case is part of the SIA's ongoing effort to revive and prosecute decades-old terror cases in Jammu and Kashmir, heard in the SIA Srinagar TADA court.

He argued that it was incomprehensible for someone in his critical condition, widely believed to be deceased, to have directed or orchestrated the alleged offense on April 19, 1990.

Yasin Malik, the former chief of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and currently serving a life sentence in a separate terror-funding case, has vehemently denied his involvement in the 1990 murder of Sarla Bhat. This denial comes after the Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency (SIA) filed a comprehensive 737-page chargesheet in June 2026, more than three decades after the incident. The chargesheet, submitted before a special TADA court in Srinagar, names Malik and Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo as the alleged masterminds behind the crime.

Malik has formally challenged these allegations through an affidavit presented to the additional sessions judge (TADA/POTA) in Srinagar. In his affidavit, he expressed profound shock and disbelief at being implicated in the Sarla Bhat rape-murder case after such a significant passage of time since the occurrence. This development marks a critical juncture in one of the most prominent 'legacy terror cases' from the early period of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sarla Bhat, a 27-year-old Kashmiri Pandit nurse employed at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar, was abducted by militants in April 1990. Her bullet-riddled body was discovered days later in the Mallabagh area. The case, which had remained largely dormant for decades, gained fresh momentum in 2024 when it was transferred to the SIA for renewed investigation.

The SIA's probe involved a meticulous review of historical records, the identification and location of new witnesses, and the collection of various forms of evidence, including oral testimonies, forensic analyses, ballistic reports, medical findings, and documentary proof. According to the SIA's investigation, Malik was allegedly instrumental in directing the killing. The chargesheet lists five JKLF members in total: Malik, Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo, Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Mohammad Yousuf Sofi (also known as Idrees), and Ghulam Mohammad Taploo. Of these individuals, three are reported to be deceased, while Chalkoo is currently absconding.

In his affidavit, Malik recounted that SIA officers visited him on June 2 and 3, 2026, prior to the chargesheet's filing, confronting him with two primary allegations. The first referred to an alleged handwritten JKLF note, purportedly recovered from the crime scene, which claimed responsibility for the murder and mentioned Javaid Mir, Sheikh Abdul Hamid, and Mohammad Yasin Malik. The second allegation questioned whether the JKLF suspected Sarla Bhat of providing information to security personnel regarding Malik's presence at Hafiz Bazaz's house and if he subsequently ordered her killing.

Malik's defense hinges on his physical condition at the time of the alleged crime. He asserted that on April 8, 1990, he sustained life-threatening injuries and subsequently fell into a coma. He further claimed that he was widely reported to have died and was, in fact, declared deceased on two separate occasions: first on April 8, 1990, and again on April 27, 1990, which was Eid. He argued that it was incomprehensible for someone in his critical condition, widely believed to be deceased, to have directed or orchestrated the alleged offense on April 19, 1990. Malik also categorically denied the allegation that Sarla Bhat was covertly working for security forces or was responsible for a raid in Narwara, Downtown Srinagar, on April 8, 1990, affirming her status as an innocent civilian.

The re-emergence of the Sarla Bhat rape-murder case underscores the State Investigation Agency's (SIA) persistent efforts to revisit and prosecute 'legacy terror cases' in Jammu and Kashmir, even decades after the alleged incidents. This strategy involves meticulously sifting through historical records and gathering new evidence to bring closure to long-unresolved crimes. The prosecution of such old cases presents unique challenges, including the availability of witnesses, the preservation of evidence, and the passage of time affecting memories and circumstances.

This particular case, with Yasin Malik's affidavit denial, highlights the complexities inherent in prosecuting events from a distant past. It signals a broader trend where historical events are being re-examined through contemporary legal frameworks, potentially leading to the reactivation of numerous other cases from the region's turbulent history. The proceedings in the SIA Srinagar TADA court will be closely watched as they navigate these intricate legal and evidentiary hurdles.

This development signals the State Investigation Agency's (SIA) continued efforts to revive and prosecute 'legacy terror cases' in Jammu and Kashmir, even decades after the alleged incidents. Criminal defense lawyers should note the potential for very old cases to be reactivated, requiring a thorough review of historical evidence and robust defense strategies for clients facing charges from past events.

Source: Original reporting via Times Now