Kashmiri separatist Yasin Malik sentenced to life imprisonment

Yasin Malik had earlier pleaded guilty to all the charges, including those under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

<I>Image: Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik at the Patiala House court, in New Delhi. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo</I>

A Delhi court on Wednesday sentenced Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik to life in prison following his conviction in a terror funding case. Special Judge Praveen Singh delivered the sentence.

The National Investigation Agency had sought the death penalty for Yasin Malik, who had earlier pleaded guilty to all the charges, including those under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The agency also told the court that the Kashmiri separatist was responsible for the Kashmiri exodus.

Malik had submitted before the court that he would not beg for mercy, and that court could decide at its discretion. The amicus curiae in the case had sought minimum punishment (life imprisonment) in the matter.

The court had on May 19 convicted Malik and directed the NIA authorities to assess his financial situation to determine the amount of fine likely to be imposed.

The Kashmiri separatist had on May 10 told the court that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him. These included sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition) of the IPC, section 18 (conspiracy to commit a terrorist act), sections 16 (terrorist act), 17 (raising funds for the terrorist act), and 20 (being member of terrorist gang or organisation) of the UAPA.

The court formally framed the charges against Kashmiri separatist leaders including Aftab Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan, Md Akbar Khanday, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam, Md Yusuf Shah, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Shabir Ahmad Shah and Naval Kishore Kapoor.

The NIA had also named Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Hafiz Saeed in its charge sheet and declared them proclaimed offenders (PO) in the case.

<I>Image: A security personnel stands guard during a strike in support of JKLF chief Yasin Malik, in Srinagar. Photograph: PTI Photo/S Irfan</I>

Security had been stepped up across the Kashmir Valley ahead of a court's verdict on the quantum of sentence for separatists. Many shops and business establishments in Maisuma and adjoining areas had been closed.

Heavy deployment of security forces was seen, as the administration sought to avoid any sort of law and order issues.

Malik, the chief of the banned J&K Liberation Front, was on May 19 convicted by a Delhi court under the stringent anti-terror law.