The state government has said it would seek a clarification from special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam for his statement on Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab being served mutton biryani while in jail. Revenue minister Eknath Khadse said Nikam had met him on Monday and apologised for the statement.
Sources said an irked state government was unlikely to extend Nikam’s tenure as special public prosecutor, which ends in two months.
Nikam, who represented the state government in the 26/11 terrorist attack case in a special MOCCA court, had said two days ago in Jaipur that he had concocted the biryani statement to swing the sentiment, which was in danger of going in Kasab’s favour.
“Neither did Kasab demand mutton biryani when he was imprisoned at Arthur Road jail, nor did the state government serve it to him. I cooked up the story to break an emotional atmosphere that seemed to be moving in Kasab’s favour during the trial,” Nikam told the reporter on the sidelines of a conference on counter terrorism in Jaipur on Saturday.
The state government has termed the statement unfortunate. “I will speak to the chief minister on the topic. We will ask Nikam to present his side and see if the clarification is satisfactory before taking any action,” he said. The minister said the statement by Nikam may cause embarrassment to the country at the international level.
{{/usCountry}}The state government has termed the statement unfortunate. “I will speak to the chief minister on the topic. We will ask Nikam to present his side and see if the clarification is satisfactory before taking any action,” he said. The minister said the statement by Nikam may cause embarrassment to the country at the international level.
{{/usCountry}}Kasab was the only terrorist caught alive after terrorists attacked various spots in Mumbai.
The nine other Pakistani terrorists who were with Kasab were killed on November 26, 2008. Kasab was later hanged at Yerwada jail in November 2012 after the Supreme Court endorsed the death penalty handed to him.