Yasin Malik denies 1990 Sarla Bhat murder after SIA chargesheet
Yasin Malik, head of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), said he had nothing to do with the 1990 murder of Kashmiri Pandit nurse Sarla Bhat.
He called the accusations baseless in a 25-page affidavit submitted to a Srinagar court, and said he was surprised to be named after more than three decades.
The State Investigation Agency (SIA) included him in its June 2026 chargesheet.
Yasin Malik seeks capital punishment unexpectedly
Malik, currently lodged in Tihar Jail, argued he could not have planned the murder because he was in a coma from serious injuries just days before it happened.
He dismissed claims linking him to the crime and described Bhat as "an innocent civilian," saying not contesting the trial does not mean he admits guilt.
In an unexpected move, Malik is now asking for capital punishment even though he previously refused to fight the case.