A Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in New Delhi sentenced Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik to life imprisonment on Wednesday in connection with his involvement in a terror-funding case.
The NIA had earlier sought a death sentence for Malik soon after he was produced before a Special NIA court in the Patiala House complex here amid very tight and massive security that included dog squad inspections and thermal scanning by the NIA and Delhi Police.
Unprecedented security was also witnessed outside Malik's home in Srinagar and across the union territory’s summer capital.
The sentence was pronounced by Special NIA Judge Praveen Singh six days after he had charged Malik with “terrorist” acts, illegally raising funds, being a member of a “terrorist organisation”, criminal conspiracy, and sedition. The judge had also asked Malik provide an affidavit of his financial assets.
Charges were brought against Malik under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a law that prevents individuals or associations from carrying out or committing unlawful activities that are directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. In 2019, the law was amended to make it possible for the government to declare individuals as terrorists.
Earlier, responding to the NIA’s death penalty demand, Malik said: "I will not beg for anything. Terrorism-related charges levelled against me are concocted, fabricated and politically motivated. If seeking Azadi (freedom) is a crime, then I am ready to accept this crime and its consequences. The case is before this court and I have left it on the court to decide it.”
“If I have been involved in any terrorist activity or violence in 28 years; if Indian intelligence proves this, then I will retire from politics. I will accept the hanging. With seven Prime Ministers, I have worked,” he added.
On May 19, he had pleaded guilty in the case, telling the court that he was not contesting the various charges levelled against him, including those levelled under UAPA Sections 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) and under IPC Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition).
The JKLF is a militant separatist organisation that has been active in both Indian-administered and Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
It has always projected itself as a supporter for an independent and united Kashmir, a region that has remained divided between India and Pakistan since 1947, but claimed by both in its entirety.
Though the group is said to have given up armed rebellion in Kashmir in 1994, the government ordered the arrest of Malik and banned the JKLF in 2019 soon after it converted Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh into separate union territories, and stripped the erstwhile state of J&K of its special status by abrogating Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution.
