Overview

• Yasin Malik, jailed JKLF leader, is allowed to cross-examine prosecution witnesses via videoconferencing from Tihar Jail in two high-profile cases.
• The cases involve the 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed and the 1990 Srinagar IAF shootout, both under renewed scrutiny decades later.
• The CBI opposed Malik's physical transfer to a Jammu court, citing significant security risks and logistical challenges.
• Malik objected to being labeled a 'dreaded terrorist,' asserting his identity as a political leader who engaged with seven Indian Prime Ministers in the past.
• The Supreme Court emphasized procedural fairness, directing improvements to videoconferencing facilities and adherence to virtual trial regulations without addressing the substantive allegations.