Jammu and Kashmir separatist leader Yasin Malik was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday in a terror funding case, Bar and Bench reported. A special National Investigation Agency court in Delhi also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh.
Malik was convicted by a special National Investigation Agency court on May 19 in connection with the case. On May 10, Malik had pleaded guilty to all charges before a Delhi court in a case related to terror funding and secessionist activities in the Kashmir Valley in 2017.
He was booked under Sections 16 (terrorist act), 17 (raising funds), 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist act), and 20 (being member of terrorist gang or organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He was also booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition).
He has been sentenced on 10 offences with punishments varying from five years to life imprisonment. The judge said the sentences will run concurrently.
The order said that the crimes are of a “very serious nature” and were intended to forcefully secede Jammu and Kashmir from India, reported ANI.
“The crime was serious as it was committed with the assistance of foreign powers and designated terrorists,” said the court, according to ANI.
The National Investigation Agency has alleged that Malik and other separatist leaders “entered into a larger conspiracy for causing disruption in the Valley by way of pelting stones on security forces, systematically burning of schools, damage to public property and waging war against India”.
Yasin Malik’s Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front was banned in March for allegedly promoting secessionist activities.
The National Investigation Agency had demanded death penalty for Malik, reported ANI.
On the agency’s demand, Malik told the court that he will not beg for anything. “The case is before this court and I left on the court to decide it,” he said.
Protest ahead of court’s order
Ahead of the court order, security forces were deployed in sensitive areas of Srinagar. A protest broke out in Srinagar’s Maisum area, from where Malik hails. The police lobbed tear gas shells to counter protestors who threw stones, reported NDTV.
Parts of Srinagar were shut down since Wednesday morning. These areas included Maisum and Srinagar’s commercial hub of Lal Chowk.
Maisum residents also took out march in the locality against the court’s order to convict Malik. However, the overall situation in the area remained largely peaceful.
Srinagar residents told Scroll.in that their mobile internet speed had been reduced. However, the administration has not issued any official order to limit internet speed.
Public transport and private vehicles were operating normally in the city, reported PTI.
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