A Delhi court today fixed February 27 for considering a plea by the National Investigation Agency( NIA) for the handwriting sample of Wasim Akram Malik, facing trial in the September 2011 Delhi High Court blast case.

During an in-chamber hearing, the NIA told the court that it needs Malik's handwriting sample as it has recovered some documents from the possession of co-accused Shakir Hussain Sheikh alias Chota Hafiz, who was killed in an encounter with security forces on December 20 last year in Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.

The sources said that the agency told District Judge (DJ) IS Mehta that it needs to ascertain whether the recovered documents contain the handwriting of Malik or not.

The court heard the arguments and listed the matter for February 27. The NIA had earlier said that Sheikh, who was named as an accused in the charge sheet and was absconding, was killed in an encounter and the court had abated proceedings against him.

Meanwhile, the court also listed for hearing on the same day the matter related to framing of additional charge of waging war against India against Malik for his alleged role in the September 7, 2011 terror attack at the high court's reception, in  which 15 people were killed and 79 were injured.

The trial judge had earlier declined the NIA's plea to prosecute Malik under the stringent charge which entails maximum punishment of death penalty, but the High Court had ruled otherwise.