A Delhi Court Monday awarded the death penalty to Indian Mujahideen terrorist Ariz Khan, convicted in the killing of a police inspector in the 2008 Batla House encounter in Delhi.
Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav handed down the death penalty to Khan, calling it one of the “rarest of the rare cases” that merits the death penalty.
Judge Yadav also imposed a fine of Rs11 lakh on Khan, of which, Rs 10 lakhs is to be released immediately to the family members of late inspector Mohan Chand Sharma.
Khan was held guilty of killing inspector Sharma on March 8, 2008. The court said Khan along with his associates Md.Atif Ameen and Md. Sajid, who were both killed in a shoot-out with members of raiding team, and Md. Shahzad @ Pappu, who has been already subjected to trial and convicted, in furtherance of a common intention, knowingly committed murder by causing the death by firearm of Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma.
It added the evidence adduced by the prosecution including ocular evidence, documentary evidence and scientific evidence left no manner of doubt that the prosecution the charges framed against accused had successfully proved.
Besides holding Khan guilty of murder, the court also convicted him for offences under Sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions); 333 (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty); 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty); 307 (attempt to murder); 34 (common intention) Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 27 (Punishment for using arms, etc) of Arms Act and Section 174A (Non-appearance in response to a proclamation) IPC.
The matter was heard today for awarding sentence.
In 2013, a Shahzad Ahmed, who had also escaped the Batla House shootout with Khan, was convicted and sentenced. Two of their accomplices, Atif Amin and Mohammed Sajid, were killed in the incident. A third, Mohammed Saif, was arrested from the location.
