Red Fort shootout: HC reserves verdict on appeal

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its verdict on an appeal filed by Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Mohammed Arif who was awarded death penalty by a trial court for waging war against the nation and murder of three persons in the Red Fort shootout case.

A Division Bench comprising Justice RS Sodhi and Justice PK Bhasin reserved the order after the prosecution counsel Mukta Gupta and defence lawyer RM Tufail completed their arguements.

Ashfaq, along with six others including his wife Rehmana Yusuf Farooqui, were convicted by the trial court on October 24 for their involvement in December 2000 Red Fort shootout in which two armyman and a civilian were killed.

On October 31, 2003, the trial court awarded death penalty to Ashfaq and life imprisonment to his Kashmiri friends Nazir Ahmmed Qasid and his son Farooq Ahmmed Qasid for their involvement in the conspiracy to wage war against the country.

Ashfaq's wife Rehamana, friend Babar Mohsin Baghwala, Sdaqat Ali and Matloob Alam were sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment after they were found guilty under sections 216 (harbouring offenders) and 118 (non disclosure of conspiracy).