New Delhi: Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik is being brought before the Patiala House Court in New Delhi, Wednesday, May 25, 2022.
From a Pakistan-trained terrorist to a prominent separatist face in Kashmir, life has come a full circle for the chief of Banned. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Yasin Malik, He was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Delhi court in a terror funding case, which said the offenses were intended to strike at the “heart of the idea of India” and forcefully secede Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India.
Here are today’s top developments:
- The court sentenced the JKLF leader to life imprisonment for two offenses under section 121 (waging war against the Government of India) of the IPC and section 17 (raising funds for acts of terrorism) of the UAPA.
- Special Judge Praveen Singh, who sentenced Malik to separate jail terms for offenses under the stringent anti-terror law-Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and IPC, dismissed the NIA’s plea for capital punishment. He said the offenses for which Malik was convicted were of very serious nature. “These crimes were intended to strike at the heart of the idea of India and were aimed at forcefully separating Jammu and Kashmir from the UOI. The crime becomes more serious as it was committed with the aid of foreign powers and designated terrorists. The gravity of the crime is further aggravated by the fact that it was done behind the scenes of an alleged peaceful political movement,” the judge said.
- The judge observed that the manner in which the offenses were committed was in the form of a conspiracy, in which there was an attempt to incite rebellion, stone pelting and arson and that the government machinery was shut down due to violence on a very large scale. However, he noted that the manner in which the offense was committed and the type of weapons used led him to conclude that the offense in question would fail the investigation of the rarest of rare cases as determined by the Supreme Court. Court.
- During the hearing, Mr. Malik argued that he had given up violence in 1994, “After the ceasefire in 1994, he had announced that he would follow the peaceful path of Mahatma Gandhi and engage in a non-violent political struggle. He has further argued that since then there is no evidence against him that in the last 28 years he had provided any hideout to any terrorist or provided any logistic support to any terrorist organisation,” the court noted on Malik’s plea. .
- Malik told the court that he met all the prime ministers from the time of VP Singh to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who interacted with him and gave him a political platform. “The Government of India had provided him all the forums to express his opinion in India as well as outside, and the Government cannot be considered foolish to give an opportunity to a person who indulged in terrorist acts. He has further argued that it has been alleged that he was involved in acts of violence in the Valley after the killing of Burhan Wani.
- On the NIA’s contention that Malik was responsible for the massacre and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, the judge said that since the issue is not before the court and has not been decided, he should not allow himself to be influenced by the argument. can. “It is to be noted that, when he claimed to have given up the path of violence after the year 1994, the Government of India took it at its face value and gave him a chance to reform, and in good faith, tried to engage his Had a fruitful conversation with him, and as he admitted, gave him every platform to express his opinion.” However, the convict did not desist from violence, he said.
- “Rather, betraying the good intentions of the government, they took a different route to carry out violence under the guise of political struggle.
- Doshi claimed that he had followed the Gandhian principle of non-violence and was leading a peaceful non-violent struggle.
- “However, the evidence on the basis of which the charges were framed and who has pleaded guilty, speaks otherwise,” the judge said. He said the entire movement was planned to be violent. “I must note here that the guilty cannot invoke the Mahatma and claim to be his followers as there was no place for violence in the principles of Mahatma Gandhi, no matter how high the aim. In Chauri Chaura for the Mahatma One small incident of violence can be attributed to the entire non-cooperation movement,” the judge said.
- He said that despite the massive violence in the Valley, Malik neither condemned it nor withdrew his calendar of protests. The judge said, in the present case, the primary consideration for awarding punishment should be that it should serve as a deterrent to those who wish to follow the same path.
- The court sentenced Malik to 10 years imprisonment under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121-A (conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India) and sections 15 (terrorism), 18 (conspiracy to terrorism) and 20. sentenced to. (being a member of a terrorist organization) of the UAPA. It sentenced each to five years in prison under Sections 13 (Unlawful Act), 38 (offence relating to membership of terrorism), and 39 (support to terrorism) of the UAPA.
- After the sentencing, a group of people hoisted the Indian tricolor and raised slogans against Malik outside the court premises. Before the court order, parts of Srinagar remained closed. Most shops and business establishments remained closed in Maisuma and adjoining areas, including some in Lal Chowk.
- Shops also remained closed in some areas of the old city, but public transport remained normal. Clashes broke out between supporters of JKLF President Malik and security forces in Maisuma area of Srinagar.
(with PTI inputs)
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