Probe agency had sought death penalty for him

A special NIA court today awarded life imprisonment to Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik in a 2017 terror-funding case even as the probe agency had sought death penalty for him.

The court of Special Judge Praveen Singh also awarded varying jail terms for various offences under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It also imposed a fine of over Rs 10 lakh on Malik.

The life term was awarded for two offences — Section 121 (waging a war against the Government of India) of the IPC and Section 17 (raising funds for terrorist act) of the UAPA. All sentences will run concurrently.

The Special Judge had on May 19 convicted Malik and directed the NIA to assess his financial situation to determine the amount of fine to be imposed. Earlier in the day, Malik, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), was brought to the courtroom amid heavy security.

Malik told the court that ever since he “renounced” violence, he had “followed the principles of Mahatma Gandhi”. He also said he had met seven Prime Ministers of India and challenged that no intelligence agency would be able to prove that he was wanted in any terror activity after 1994, when he gave up arms.

As per the NIA chargesheet, Malik was responsible for the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley. On May 10, Malik had told the court that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him, including 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. The court, meanwhile, formally framed charges against several Kashmiri separatist leaders, including Farooq Ahmed Dar, alias Bitta Karate, Shabir 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.

A chargesheet was also filed against LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin.

Convicted in 2017 case

• A conspiracy was hatched by Pak-based outfits and others to raise funds for terror
• Aim was to cause disruption in Valley by way of pelting stones on security forces, burning schools and other property

The pending cases

• 1989: Abduction of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
• 1990: Attack by JKLF ultras on IAF personnel in Srinagar that left four dead, several injured

Courtesy: The Tribune India :25th May , 2022