The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday is seeking death penalty for convicted Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, who had earlier pleaded guilty of all charges, including those under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, in a militancy funding case, court sources said.
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.
Malik, meanwhile, told the judge that he was leaving it to the court to decide the quantum of punishment.
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Yasin Malik had told the court that he will not plead his case. “I know of this case and I do not need a lawyer to pursue my case,” Yasin Malik had told the court, according to news reports.
After hearing the arguments, the court reserved its order and is likely to pronounce it later in the day.
The court will give its verdict at 3:30 pm today. The defence has asked for life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.
“I was arrested within 30 minutes of Burhan Wani’s encounter. Atal Bihari Vajpayee allotted me a passport and India allowed me to make a statement because I was not a criminal,” Yasin Malik said in court.
The NIA has demanded the maximum punishment under Section 121 (Waging war against the government) which is the death penalty in this case. The minimum punishment is life imprisonment.