New Delhi: A special NIA court on Wednesday sentenced banned terror outfit JKLF chief Yasin Malik, who has been convicted in a terror funding case, to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10 lakh.
Special NIA Judge Praveen Singh pronounced the sentence.
Earlier, in the arguments before the sentencing, Malik told the court that he will accept hanging if the intelligence agencies prove any terror-related activities involving him.
The National Investigation Agency told the court during arguments on sentencing of Yasin Malik in a terror funding case that he is also responsible for the Kashmiri Pandits’ mass exodus from the Valley.
During the course of the hearing before Special Judge Praveen Singh, the central probe agency also argued for death sentence to Malik.
On the other hand, the amicus curiae sought life imprisonment as a minimum punishment in the case.
Malik, who is awaiting the quantum of punishment for the offences in the case, was produced before the special NIA judge of Patiala House Court amid tight security.
The court also had directed the NIA authorities to assess his financial situation in connection with the terror funding case prior to Wednesday’s hearing.
He had been charged with hatching a criminal conspiracy, waging war against the country, other unlawful activities, and disturbing peace in Kashmir.
He had pleaded guilty in the matter. On the last date of the hearing, he told the court that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him, including section 16 (terrorist act), 17 (raising funds for the terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist act), and 20 (being member of a terrorist gang or organisation) of the UAPA and sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code.
The present case is related to the various terrorist outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul-Mujahideen (HM), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) backed by Pakistan.