Death sought for Batla House convict

The prosecution in the 2008 Batla House encounter case on Monday sought death penalty for the lone convict Shahzad Ahmad, saying it was a “rarest of the rare cases.”
The prosecution pleaded for death penalty to Ahmad in Saket court before the Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri, who convicted him for killing Delhi Police Special Cell Inspector M. C. Sharma during the shootout.
The final verdict by a Delhi court will come on Tuesday.
The prosecution said: “This case falls in the rarest of rare category. I request the court to give maximum punishment, that is death.”
However, the defense lawyer, Satish Tamta, appearing for Ahmad, urged the court to take a “lenient” view as the case did not fall in the category of “organized crime.”
“The case doesn't fall in the organized crime category, the incident happened on the spur of the moment. It was not against the women, children or helpless people. I request the court to take a lenient view. Don't treat it as a rarest of rare cases,” the counsel said, adding that a chance be given to Shahzad to “reform” himself.
Shahzad was said to be present in the flat in Jamia Nagar in south Delhi where the encounter took place. Saket court on July 25 held Shahzad guilty of assaulting police officials and obstructing them from doing their duty. He was convicted of offences that included murder and attempt to murder which carry a death penalty as the maximum sentence.
The infamous Batla House encounter took place on Sept. 19, 2008 between a-seven-member Delhi Police Special Cell team, led by Inspector Sharma and suspected terrorists allegedly involved in the Sept. 13, 2008 serial blasts in Delhi.
However, from the day one, human rights activist and students of Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia have been demanding an impartial inquiry into the encounter claiming it was fake.
“We are not satisfied with the judgment. Five years have passed, but still many questions remain unanswered about the Batla House encounter. We demand an impartial probe for justice and truth,” Sandeep Kumar, AISA president told Arab News. He said their struggle against the minority witch-hunt will continue till justice is delivered.