On Yasin Malik’s conviction in terror case, late IAF officer’s wife says ‘blood following him’

The slain IAF leader’s wife said she believes in “blood for blood, death for death”.

Nirmal Khanna, the wife of the late Indian Air Force (IAF) squadron leader Ravi Khanna who was allegedly killed by Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, on Thursday said that she is still waiting for justice.

Nirmal Khanna, the wife of the late Indian Air Force (IAF) squadron leader Ravi Khanna. (ANI video screengrab)

Khanna was one of the four IAF personnel shot dead in Srinagar on January 25, 1990, allegedly by a group led by Malik, the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

The slain IAF leader’s wife said she believes in “blood for blood, death for death”. Nirmal said Malik would not be spared from being convicted in her husband’s case as “Ravi Khanna's blood is following him”. Malik was convicted by a Delhi court in a terror funding case earlier in the day. Malik had earlier pleaded guilty to all charges, including those under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), in the terror funding case.

Special Judge Praveen Singh has directed the NIA authorities to assess Malik's financial situation to determine the amount of fine to be imposed on him and posted the matter for arguments on quantum of sentence on May 25.

Malik had told the court that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him that included sections 16 (terrorist act), 17 (raising funds for terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist act) and 20 (being member of terrorist gang or organisation) of the UAPA and sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition) of the IPC.

In March, Nirmal Khanna had approached the court seeking removal or amendment of scenes in 'The Kashmir Files' depicting her husband claiming it was contrary to facts. A court in Jammu and Kashmir then restrained the promoters of the film from showing scenes depicting the squadron leader in the movie.

(With agency inputs)