Kasab’s confession was recorded late as investigator was busy

Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab — the lone terrorist arrested in connection with last year’s Mumbai attack — was willing to confess his heinous acts within a fortnight of his arrest.

Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab — the lone terrorist arrested in connection with last year’s Mumbai attack — was willing to confess his heinous acts within a fortnight of his arrest.

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His confessional statement, however, was recorded only in February “as the chief investigating officer was extremely busy with other aspects of the investigation.”

The chief investigator, Senior Inspector Ramesh Mahale, revealed this in his testimony before the special court hearing the 26/11 trial on Tuesday.

“Kasab was willing to confess in the first week of December 2008 itself,” Mahale replied to a question by Defence Lawyer K.P. Pawar.

But the 21-year-old Pakistani national was produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate on February 17 for recording his confessional statement.

Mahale added that Suresh Prasad, who had purchased a subscriber identity module (SIM) used by four terrorists holed up inside Taj hotel to communicate with their Pakistani handlers during the attack, was not shown as a wanted accused in the case.

Judge M.L. Tahaliyani reminded the senior inspector that they had Prasad’s photograph after Mahale said no such a person ever existed and the SIM was purchased on the basis of false documents.

Mahale said he had sought information on 12 different points from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “Till date we have received information about five points only,” he said.

The prosecution is likely to wrap up its case against Kasab and two other accused — Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed — on Wednesday. Ansari and Ahmed are alleged local LeT operatives.