‘Rarest of rare case’: IM terrorist Ariz Khan gets death penalty in Batla House encounter case
FILE PHOTO/PTI
A Delhi court on Monday awarded death penalty to convict Ariz Khan in connection with the 2008 Batla House encounter, calling the case ‘rarest of rare’. A fine of Rs 11 lakh has also been imposed on Ariz.
Last week, the alleged Indian Mujahideen terrorist was held guilty of Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma’s death.
Police had sought the death penalty for Khan, saying it was not just any killing but a murder of a law enforcement officer who was a defender of justice. Additional Public Prosecutor A T Ansari, appearing for the police, had said the case attracts exemplary punishment, which is capital punishment.
Khan’s counsel had opposed the death penalty.
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 police’s special cell was killed during the 2008 Batla House encounter in Jamia Nagar in south Delhi.
A 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.
READ MORE: Batla House encounter: IM terrorist Ariz Khan convicted of Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma’s killing