Batla House case: Delhi court gives death penalty to Ariz Khan
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday awarded death penalty to Ariz Khan for the murder of police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma in the 2008 Batla House encounter case.
Additional sessions judge Sandeep Yadav also imposed a total fine of ₹11 lakh against
Khan in the case. The court said ₹10 lakh should be immediately released to the family members of Sharma. Police sought death penalty for Khan, allegedly associated with the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, saying it was not just any killing but a murder of a law enforcement officer who was a defender of justice. Advocate MS Khan, appearing for Ariz Khan, opposed the death penalty and said the incident was not premeditated. Inspector Sharma of the special cell was killed during the 2008 Batla House encounter in Jamia Nagar in south Delhi.
POLICE SOUGHT DEATH PENALTY FOR ARIZ, SAYING IT WAS NOT JUST ANY KILLING BUT A MURDER OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday awarded death penalty to Ariz Khan for the murder of police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma in the 2008 Batla House encounter case.
Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav also imposed a total fine of ₹11 lakh against Ariz in the case. The court said ₹10 lakh should be immediately released to the family members of Sharma. Police sought death penalty for Ariz, allegedly associated with the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, saying it was not just any killing but a murder of a law enforcement officer. Additional Public Prosecutor A T Ansari, appearing for the police, said the case attracts exemplary punishment, which is capital punishment.
Advocate M S Khan, appearing for Ariz, opposed the death penalty and said the incident was not premeditated.
The court had said on March 8 that it was “duly proved that Ariz Khan and his associates caused murder of police official and fired gunshot on the police official”. Inspector Sharma of the special cell was killed during the 2008 Batla House encounter in Jamia Nagar in south Delhi.
The trial court had sentenced Indian Mujahideen terrorist Shahzad Ahmed in July 2013 to life imprisonment in connection with the case. His appeal against the verdict has been pending in the high court. Ariz Khan had fled from the spot and was declared proclaimed offender.
He was arrested on February 14, 2018, and faced the trial.
Police had earlier claimed that Ariz Khan was present at Batla House, along with four others, and had managed to give police the slip during the encounter on September 19, 2008, in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar, in which two Indian Mujahideen terrorists were killed and as many arrested.
Two suspected terrorists, Atif Ameen and Mohammad Sajid were killed while two other suspects -- Mohammad Saif and Zeeshan were arrested earlier.
The incident took place a week after five serial blasts had hit Delhi on 13 September 2008 in which at least 30 people were killed and over 100 injured.
A trial court in July 2013 had sentenced Indian Mujahideen terrorist Shahzad Ahmed to life imprisonment in connection with the Batla House encounter case. His appeal against the trial court’s verdict has been pending in the high court.