Death for Kasab; he killed Kamte, Salaskar, Karkare: Bombay High Court

[robo]

Mumbai:  Ajmal Kasab, sporting a stubble and wearing a white kurta-pyjama, watched via video-conference as the Bombay High Court confirmed his death sentence for waging war against India with the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in 2008. He did not react after the verdict was announced.

"There is no scope of reform or rehabilitation of the Convicted-accused," said the judges. "It is a rarest of rare case and the court cannot be more confident than it is today that death penalty must be given."

Kasab attacked the sovereignty of the government to "destabilize India and its economy," said the judges. They said he had a "scheming mind" and was not influenced.

Kasab - the only terrorist caught alive during the 26/11 terror attacks - was sentenced to death last year by a trial court in Mumbai for waging war against India. 166 people died during the attack. Since his arrest, Kasab has been kept in a special bomb-proof and bullet-proof cell at Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail. For security reasons, he was given the option of participating in hearings in the Bombay High Court via video-conference instead of being brought to court.
The High Court held Kasab directly responsible for killing three of Maharashtra's senior-most policemen as they tried to protect Mumbai during the first few hours of the war unleashed by Kasab and nine other young Pakistani men who sailed into the city from Karachi in November 2008. Hemant Karkare who was the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief was shot outside Cama Hospital along with Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar. 

"Like everyone else, I also expected the Bombay High Court to confirm the death sentence to Kasab. I welcome the judgement and expect that the punishment would be executed at the earliest," Kamte's widow, Vineeta, said to PTI.

Kasab's lawyers had argued that the death sentence should not apply because he is 24 years old. But the judges said, "The diabolical and brutal nature of the crime over-rides the age factor." They also rejected the argument that a death sentence would turn Kasab into a martyr and inspire other terrorists. (Watch: It is a historic decision, says Ujjwal Nikam)

The judges highlighted the bravery of the National Security Guard (NSG) commandos and policemen who fought the terrorists during 26/11. "We would be failing in our duty if we did not acknowledge the great sacrifice of the policemen and commandos who gave their lives," the verdict said.

Legal procedure needs the High Court to ratify a death sentence given by a lower court. But in addition to signing off on the earlier verdict, the Bombay High Court also considered - and dismissed today - Kasab's appeal against his death sentence.

[b]The terrorist can now appeal in the Supreme Court against today's verdict. ( Kasab can now appeal in Supreme Court)
[/b] thu boothulu vostunayee
Last year, the trial court handling 26/11 acquitted two Indians - Faheem Ansari, Sabahuddin Shaikh - who were accused of helping the 26/11 terrorists to plan their attack against Mumbai. The government had appealed against their acquittal, but in this matter too, the High Court has agreed with the trial court's decision.


Read more at: [url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/death-for-kasab-he-killed-kamte-salaskar-karkare-bombay-high-court-86751?cp]http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/death-for-kasab-he-killed-kamte-salaskar-karkare-bombay-high-court-86751?cp[/url]

[kumarN]

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