2000 Red Fort attack: SC upholds death penalty to LeT terrorist Mohammed Arif

The Supreme Court has dismissed the review petition that was submitted by Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Mohammad Arif alias Ashfaq, the primary defendant in the December 22, 2000 Red Fort attack case that had led to death of three Army personnel from the 7^th Rajputana Rifles. The Indian apex court has upheld the death sentence that was imposed on him by the Delhi High Court, and another bench of the SC in 2014. Mohammed Arif has been found guilty of committing murder, engaging in criminal activity, and waging war against India.

As he delivered the ruling, Chief Justice of India UU Lalit said, “We have accepted the prayers that electronic records must be eschewed from consideration. However, having regard to the entirety of the matter, his guilt is proven. We affirm the view taken by this court and reject the review petition.” A bench including Chief Justice UU Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi had heard the review petition filed by Arif.

A group of terrorists, on December 22, 2000, had opened fire at the Red Fort killing 3 Army personnel. Three days later Mohd. Arif was detained in the case, when he admitted of being a citizen of Pakistan. On October 24, 2005, the trial court found him guilty, was given death sentence on October 31, 2005.

While upholding his death sentence, the apex court said, “It was an attack on Mother India. This is apart from the fact that as many as three persons had lost their lives. The conspirators had no place in India. Appellant was a foreign national and had entered India without any authorization or even justification. This is apart from the fact that the appellant built up a conspiracy by practicing deceit and committing various other offences in furtherance of the conspiracy to wage war against India as also to commit murders by launching an unprovoked attack on the soldiers of Indian Army.”