NEW DELHI: In the latest act of political vendetta against the Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders, a court of India’s notorious National Investigation Agency (NIA) officially convicted Thursday the illegally detained Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, in a false case registered against him.

Special Judge of NIA court, Praveen Singh, directed the authorities of the probing agency to assess Yasin Malik’s financial situation to determine the amount of fine to be imposed and posted the matter for arguments on quantum of sentence on May 25.

The JKLF Chairman had told the court earlier that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him under various sections of draconian law, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), and Indian Penal Code including waging war against India.

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During the trial, Malik protested the charges and said he was a freedom fighter.

“Terrorism-related charges levelled against me are concocted, fabricated and politically motivated,” his organization, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, cited him as telling the court.

“If seeking Azadi (freedom) is a crime, then I am ready to accept this crime and its consequences,” he told the judge.