The National Investigative Agency (NIA) on Wednesday sought death penalty for convicted Kashmiri separatist and chief of banned Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik in a terror funding case, news agency PTI reported. Malik was convicted last week by a Delhi court after he pleaded guilty to charges related to terror funding, spreading terrorism and secessionist activities in Kashmir in 2017.
The agency made the submission before special judge Praveen Singh, while the amicus curiae appointed by the court to assist Malik sought life imprisonment – the minimum punishment in the matter. The court’s verdict on the quantum of sentence for Malik is expected later in the day.
Malik had told the court that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him that included sections 16 (terrorist act), 17 (raising funds for terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist act) and 20 (being a member of terrorist gang or organisation) of the UAPA and sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition) of the IPC.
Ahead of the verdict, a spontaneous shutdown in parts of Srinagar is in place. Security forces have also been deployed in the city to avoid any law and order problems, reported PTI.
Most of the shops and business establishments in Maisuma and adjoining areas, including some shops in Lal Chowk, were shut, PTI added citing officials.
Shops in some areas of the old city here were also shut, however, public transport was plying normally, they added.
Bureau Report
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