NIA court sentences Yasin Malik to life imprisonment in terror funding case

File image of Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik

Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik was on May 25 sentenced to life imprisonment by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court  in a case related to terror funding. The decision came amid tight security at the Patiala House District Court in the national capital.

Apart from the life term, special NIA judge Parveen Singh also awarded Malik ten-year hail terms and rigorous imprisonment in other offences including conspiracy, according to a report in Boomlive.in.

Life imprisonment means life till death, clarified the judge saying that all the jail terms will run concurrently, the report said. In addition to the life sentence, the court also ordered Malik  to pay a fine of Rs 10 lakh.

Earlier in the day, the prosecution had sought a death penalty against Malik, who was convicted by the NIA court on May 19, according to reports. The conviction came after the separatist leader pleaded guilty to all charges.

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During the hearing over the quantum of punishment, the NIA, citing Section 121 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), sought capital punishment for the convict for "waging war against the government".

The lawyer appointed to argue on behalf of Malik prayed for the minimum punishment in this case which is a life term.

Malik, who faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) as well as provisions of the IPC, had refused to contest the charges before the court. Leaving the question of quantum of punishment to the court, Malik also said that he will even accept death penalty.

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The separatist leader, claiming to have given up arms in 1994, said that he was engaged in non-violent principles of Mahatma Gandhi for resolving the Kashmir issue.  He also said that he has worked with seven Prime Ministers and challenged the Indian intelligence agencies to point out if has been involved in any terror activities or violence in the last 28 years.

Malik and other separatist leaders from Kashmir were arrested in 2016, following the uprising in the Valley over the encounter of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.  The case pertains to the terror conspiracy by Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and the separatist leaders including the members of the Hurriyat Conference who allegedly acted in connivance with the members of banned Hizbul Mujahideen, Dukhtaran-e-Millat and others to raise, receive and collect funds domestically and from abroad using illegal channels.

The investigations found that the funds were collected to carry out separatist and terror activities in Kashmir valley through stone pelting and attacks on security forces, damaging public property, etc.

The court had framed charges against Malik along with several other separatist leaders including the likes of Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate as well as proclaimed offenders from Pakistan Hafiz Saeed of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Syed Salahuddin of Hizbul Mujahideen.

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On May 10, Malik 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.

Malik, former militant and chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, is also facing other cases, including two in the CBI regarding  the murder of IAF personnel in 1990 a Srinagar neighborhood and the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Home Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed in 1989.