Pro-Pakistan separatist leader Yasin Malik was today sentenced to life imprisonment by a special Delhi court. The National Investigation Agency had demanded the maximum punishment, the death penalty, while the defence pleaded for life imprisonment.

"Two life sentences and five punishments of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment each have been awarded. All sentences are to run concurrently. A monetary penalty of over Rs 10 lakh has also been levied," lawyer Umesh Sharma said. Different prison sentences and fines have been awarded for different cases. Yasin Malik now has the option to appeal the verdict in the High Court.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday urged the court to give the death penalty to Yasin Malik, a separatist leader from Jammu and Kashmir while the latter said that will not beg for anything and left the decision to the court.

The lawyer, who attended the court proceeding, said in the courtroom, "Yasin said that 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. I have worked with seven Prime Ministers."

On the demand by NIA for the death penalty to the separatist leader, he said, "I will not beg for anything. The case is before this court and I leave it to the court to decide it."

NIA Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) told the court that Yasin Malik is responsible, in part, for the Kashmiri exodus.

The court had earlier convicted him in the matter. Malik had also pleaded guilty in the terror funding case.

The lawyer representing NIA on Wednesday sought maximum punishment against Malik. However, Advocate Akhand Pratap Singh (court-appointed amicus) sought minimum punishment (life imprisonment).

Meanwhile, Yasin Malik on the sentence point said "I have already given my words in the court and now it is the court's discretion."

Special NIA Judge Praveen Singh said he will pass the judgement at 3:30 pm today.

Earlier, the court asked NIA to give an affidavit on the socio-economic status of convict Yasin Malik after taking the help of local authorities. Malik is also directed to file an affidavit disclosing all sources of his income and assets (movable and immovable).

Malik had told the court that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him.

The court had earlier convicted Yasin Malik for offences punishable under sections 120B IPC, 121 IPC, 121A IPC, 13 UAPA r/w 120B IPC, 15 UAPA r/w 120B IPC, 17 UAPA, 18 UAPA, 20 UAPA, 38 UAPA and 39 UAPA.

Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam, Md Yusuf Shah, Aftab Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan, Md Akbar Khanday, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Sheikh and Naval Kishore Kapoor earlier formally signed the court order copy and said they are ready to face trial in the case.

The NIA Judge, while passing the order, had said, "The analysis reflects that the statements of witnesses and documentary evidence have connected almost all the accused with each other and to a common object of secession, to the commonality of means they were to use, their close association to terrorist/ terrorist organizations under the guiding hand and funding of Pakistani establishment."

Image courtesy: NDTV