Former CM, Malik fail to appear in TADA court

Srinagar, Mar 12 (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister G M Shah, Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman Yasin Malik and National Front Chief Nayeem Ahmed Khan all failed to appear before a special TADA court here yesterday in a 19-year-old case of organising an alleged anti-India rally here on August 20, 1987.

The court had earlier issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against the 24 accused, including Shah, Geelani, Malik and Khan.

Additional Judge Asmat Hussain also took strong notice of absence of the accused from the court despite NBWs being issued to them and posted the next hearing of the case on April 13.

Mr Geelani's counsel, Arshad Andrabi, filed an application with the court seeking exemption from appearance of the Hurriyat leader in view of his old age.

Mr Andrabi pleaded that as Mr Geelani is 77 years of age, he should be exempted from personal appearance.

He also stated that of the more than 100 accused in the case, as many as eight of them, including Qazi Nisar, Abdul Ghani Lone, Hilal Beigh and Omar Mukhtar, have since died and several others attained old age.

The court reserved the decision on Mr Geelani's application till the next hearing.

Incidentally, Malik is away in Pakistan to attend a three-day international conference on Kashmir being organised by Pugwash, a European Nobel prize winning think-tank engaged in finding solution to contentious issues in South Asia, at Islamabad from Friday.

The case related to organising an alleged anti-India rally at the Iqbal Park here on August 20, 1987 by the erstwhile Muslim United Front (MUF).

It was alleged that the leaders resorted to contempt of the Indian constitution and the national tricolour was also set ablaze.

The police later registered a case against more than 100 people, accusing them of anti-national activities.

The court in January had issued summons to 24 people in the case.

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