New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday sentenced a
Pakistani national to six years rigorous imprisonment for
opening fire at the police and Army personnel in an encounter
during search operation in Jammu and Kashmir in 2004.
Zafar-ul-Haq, in his early 30s, was also imposed with a
fine of Rs 3,000 by Additional Sessions Judge Brijesh Sethi
after being held guilty of attempt to murder under the Ranbir
Penal Code (RPC) in vogue in Jammu and Kashmir and other
offences under the Arms Act.
The trial of Haq, who hailed from Haripur Frontier
Province in Pakistan, was transferred to Delhi from a court of
Poonch on an order of the Supreme Court on November 10, 2008.
"It stands proved that on January one, 2004, the accused,
along with his companion Shaukat Ali, had opened fire upon
Army and police officials and during the exchange of firing,
Ali had expired and the accused had received injuries and from
his possession 60 live cartridges and four magazines were
recovered," the court said.
During the arguments on the quantum of sentence, amicus
curiae Dinesh Sharma sought a lenient view against the convict
on the ground that no injury was caused to any Army or police
personnel during the firing. He also said the convict had aged
mother to look after as his father died during the trial.
Special Public Prosecutor Bharat Bhushan Sharma, on the
other hand, sought maximum punishment for the convict saying
he had entered the country without any authority and opened
fire at police and Army personnel.
The prosecution examined 17 witnesses to prove its
charges against the convict who was apprehended on January
one, 2004 in Mendhar in Poonch.
PTI
