Yasin Malik sentenced to life imprisonment

Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik has been sentenced to life imprisonment under section 121 of IPC in a terror funding case. In another case, he has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000.

Here are the details of the sentence he has been awarded in various other cases:

Under Sec 120 B of IPC: 10 years imprisonment, Rs 10,000 fine

Rs 10,000 fine under section 121A and 10 years imprisonment.

Under 13 UAPA: Rs 10,000 fine; 5 years imprisonment,

Under 15 UAPA: 10 years imprisonment

Under 17 UAPA: Life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10 lakh

Under 18 UAPA: 10 years imprisonment and fine of Rs 10,000

Under 20 UAPA: 10 years imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine

Under 38, 39 UAPA: 5 years' imprisonment and fine of Rs 5,000

Yasin Malik, who was convicted in a terror funding case, told an NIA court on Wednesday that he will accept hanging if the intelligence agencies prove any terror-related activities involving him.

During the course of the hearing before Special NIA Judge Praveen Singh, Malik said: "I will not beg for anything. The case is before this court and I leave 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 also retire from politics. I will accept the hanging... with seven Prime Ministers, I have worked," he told the court.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) told the court during the hearing that the accused is responsible for the Kashmiri Pandits' exodus from the Valley.

The Central probe agency also argued for the death sentence for Malik.

On the other hand, the court-appointed 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 presented before the special NIA judge of Patiala House Court amid tight security.

The court had also directed the NIA authorities to assess his financial situation in connection with the terror funding case prior to Wednesday's hearing.

He was facing a maximum punishment of the death penalty, while the minimum sentence can be life imprisonment in the cases in which he was involved.

Malik was 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, Hizbul-Mujahideen, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, and Jaish-e-Mohammed backed by the Islamic State perpetrating terrorist and secessionist activities to disturb peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the court verdict, people hit the streets in Maisuma area of Srinagar and held protests. The police used tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters.

Security has been beefed up in the Valley, with police and paramilitary forces deployed at sensitive places.

Parts of Srinagar observed a spontaneous shutdown since morning.

Meanwhile, People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a conglomeration of key political parties of Jammu and Kashmir, termed the court verdict as unfortunate and a setback to peace efforts.

PAGD spokesperson Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, in a statement, said that NIA Court has delivered its verdict but not justice.

"The triumphalism being displayed by the BJP and the corporate media is bound to prove counterproductive," he said.

(With inputs from IANS, Gulzar Bhat in Srinagar)