Delhi HC commutes Batla House encounter convict's death penalty
The Delhi High Court has reportedly denied confirming the death penalty sentenced to Ariz Khan, who was convicted by a trial court in the 2008 Batla House encounter case, in which Delhi Police officer Mohan Chand Sharma was killed. The division bench of Justice Amit Sharma and Justice Siddharth Mridul upheld the trial court order convicting Khan in the case on Thursday but partially granted his appeal by reducing his sentence to life in prison.
Details on what HC bench said on Khan's death penalty
"In view of the ongoing discussion, Judgement of conviction is UPHLED. The sentence of death imposed by is, however, not confirmed. The order dated March 15 is modified to that extent. The appeal is allowed in part," news outlet Hindustan Times quoted the court as saying. However, further details of the Delhi HC's order in the matter are still awaited.
Saket Court convicted Khan in March 2021
To recall, the Saket Court convicted Khan in March 2021 for the murder of Sharma during the Batla House encounter. Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav had sentenced Khan guilty under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 186, 333, 353, 302, 397, and the Arms Act's Section 27, according to News18. The trial court had also observed that there was no chance of Khan's reformation, and his unprovoked firing on the policemen showed he was an enemy of the state.
Details on Batla House encounter
The Batla House encounter occurred in the national capital's Okhla area on September 19, 2008. Sharma was killed and two other officers sustained injuries while conducting a raid to arrest the terrorist belonging to Indian Mujahideen. The incident happened six days after a serial explosion that rocked Delhi, claiming at least 30 lives. After the encounter, Khan was named as the main offender after he managed to escape the scene. However, he was arrested later in 2018 in Uttarakhand's Banbasa.
2 terrorists were killed during Batla House encounter
During the Batla House encounter, which lasted for nearly 20 minutes, two terrorists, Atif Amin and Mohammad Sajid, were also killed. On the other hand, another terrorist named Mohammad Saif surrendered to the police. According to reports, Khan is also allegedly the mastermind behind the 2008 serial bomb blasts in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. The serial bombings allegedly killed 165 people and injured 535 others.
