HC to give Kasab verdict on Feb 21

The Bombay high court has set February 21 for delivering its verdict on the reference for confirmation of death sentence awarded to Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by a special court in May last year.

The Bombay high court has set February 21 for delivering its verdict on the reference for confirmation of death sentence awarded to Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by a special court in May last year.

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The division bench of justice Ranjana Desai and justice RV More on Monday said the verdict was delayed because of bulky documentation involved in the case.

The bench was hearing the reference for confirmation besides an appeal filed by the Pakistani national and the appeals filed by the state government challenging acquittal of two locals.

On May 6, 2010, a special court had sentenced Kasab to death after holding him responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which left 166 dead and many more injured.

He was found guilty for 80 various charges including conspiracy, waging war against the nation and indulging in terrorist activities.

Kasab and nine other Pakistani terrorists, who were killed by security forces during the three-day siege, had sneaked into Mumbai through the Arabian Sea route and had targeted various locations.

The locals, Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, were acquitted by a special court of the charge of providing their support to the gruesome act, which claimed 166 lives.

According to the prosecution, Ansari had conducted recee of important city locations and had passed hand drawn maps to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) bosses through Ahmed.

The court on Monday asked lawyers Amin Solkar and Farhana Shah, appointed to defend the LeT operative to meet Kasab and ask him to attend the court proceedings on February 21 through a video link.