Case dates back to 2009: SIMI activist gets life term for killing ATS constable in MP

Yadav was shot dead in broad daylight in Khandwa town in November 2009 by bike-borne SIMI activists who also killed two others — one for challenging them and another for refusing to part with his bike.

Faisal was the brain behind the attack on Yadav who had used his network of informers to arrest several SIMI activists. Faisal was also the mastermind behind the jailbreak in Khandwa in which six SIMI activists, including him and three other accused in the Yadav case, escaped in October 2013. While Faisal was arrested two months later, the other two — Aijazuddin and Mohammed Aslam — were killed in an encounter with the police in April.

While handing out the life sentence under Section 302 and 120 (b) of the IPC, Special Judge B S Bhadoria said Faisal must be kept in jail till his natural death. He was also sentenced to life imprisonment and a 10-year term under different sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The prosecution had demanded death penalty for Faisal who was not produced before the court. When Faisal was convicted on Friday, he reacted violently and reportedly hurled abuses at the judge who ordered him to lower his voice.

Special Public Prosecutor Naresh Gupta said Faisal showed no emotions when the verdict was read out to him on Saturday. “After going through the judgment, we will appeal against the verdict and seek death penalty for Faisal,” Gupta said.

Opposing the death penalty, advocate Zeenat Anwar argued that it was not the rarest of rare case. She said Faisal has not been convicted in any of the 20 cases that are lodged against him and was acquitted in one case.

She further said Faisal reacted violently because he had been kept in solitary confinement for a long time. Mehtab, another accused in the case was sentenced to three years in prison under the Arms Act.