Yasin Malik Sentenced to Life in Prison by Delhi Court in Terror Funding Case
25-05-2022: JKLF chief Yasin Malik, one of the first terrorists of Jammu and Kashmir, was on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment by NIA court here. Malik, 56, has also been fined more than Rs 10 lakh as the court imposed different amounts for different sections he has been booked under.
Special Judge Praveen Singh also awarded varying jail terms for various offences under the UAPA and IPC. All the sentences will run concurrently.
Malik, who is known to have killed four IAF personnel in a terror attack in January 1990, was convicted on May 19 after he pleaded guilty to all the charges in connection to a 2017 case related to terrorism and secessionist activities.
Amicus appointed by the court to assist Malik requested the court to take a lenient view against the JKLF leader and requested life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.
Malik said he will retire from politics if intelligence agencies can give proof of his involvement in terror activities.
Malik submitted that he has followed the principles of Mahatma Gandhi and has followed the principles of non-violence in Kashmir politics ever since.
NIA Special Judge Parveen Singh after the conclusion of arguments on the quantum of the sentence handed out the sentence that will ensure Malik remains behind bars for the rest of his life along with a fine of Rs 10 lakh.
Delhi’s Patiala House Court turned into a security camp of sort as even the paramilitary forces were called in.
Bomb disposal squad and sniffer dogs carried out a thorough check of the court premises before Malik was brought before NIA Special Judge Parveen Singh around 5.30 pm.
During the proceedings on Wednesday, the NIA sought the death penalty for Malik.
The verdict was slated for 3.30 pm initially but was delayed by several hours amid stone pelting incidents reported from Srinagar’s Maisuma area, where Malik’s home is.
Internet was suspended in Srinagar, while many Kashmiri Pandit families in Jammu awaited the sentencing.
Nirmal Khanna, the wife of IAF Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna who was killed by Yasin Malik and the gang, said she wants capital punishment for the JKLF terrorist as he has been alive for 32 years after killing her husband. In my case, I would demand “blood for blood”
Offences committed by Malik
• Section 121 IPC (waging war against Government of India) – Life imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine;
• Section 120B IPC (criminal conspiracy) – 10 years imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine;
• Section 121A IPC (conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121) – 10 years imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine;
• Section 13 UAPA (punishment for unlawful activities) – 5 years imprisonment;
• Section 15 UAPA (terrorist act) – 10 years imprisonment;
• Section 17 UAPA (punishment for raising funds for the terrorist act) – Life imprisonment and Rs 10 lakh fine;
• Section 18 UAPA (punishment for conspiracy) – 10 years imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine;
• Section 20 UAPA (punishment for being a member of a terrorist gang or organisation) – 10 years imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine;
• Sections 38 (offence relating to membership of a terrorist organisation), 39 (offence relating to support given to a terrorist organisation) UAPA – 5 years imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine.
According to a lawyer present during the hearing, Malik’s counsel claimed that the JKLF chief had shunned violence 28 years back and had not indulged in any kind of violent means during this period.
In this matter, after investigation a charge sheet was filed by Investigating Agency against Malik, Kashmiri separatist leaders such as Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam, Md Yusuf Shah, Aftab Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan, Md Akbar Khanday, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Sheikh and Naval Kishore Kapoor.
Other accused Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Syed Salahuddin have been declared proclaimed offenders (PO) in this case.
In the month of March this year, Court had ordered to the framing of charges under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against Malik and others in the case.
A case under sections 16 (terrorist act), 17 (raising funds for the terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist act), and 20 (being member of terrorist gang or organisation) and sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition) of Indian Penal Code was registered against Malik and others in this case.
After hearing the charges were framed against Malik when he submitted before the court that he will not contest the charges levelled against him.
