Supreme Court to hear CBI plea to transfer Yasin Malik's trials to Delhi

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear Central Bureau of Investigation's plea to transfer the trial in two cases pending against terror convict Yasin Malik from Jammu to Delhi and issued notice to him and other accused in the case.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih asked Malik and other accused to file a response by Dec 14. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for Central Bureau of Investigation, informed the top court that there is a fully-functional court in Tihar jail where the trial proceedings could go on against them. Malik is at present lodged in Tihar and undergoing life term.

"There is a fully-functional court in (Tihar) jail itself with all facilities of video conferencing also and in past proceedings have taken place there," Mehta further added.

Observing that fair trial was given even to Ajmal Kasab, the apex court had earlier suggested that a makeshift courtroom could be set up in Tihar jail to physically cross-examine prosecution witnesses in the Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping case as Central Bureau of Investigation said that it was not possible to make Malik appear in person before a Jammu court for trial.