SC to hear Kasab's plea today

The Supreme Court is likely to hear a plea by Ajmal Amir Kasab - the lone Pakistani terrorist to be captured during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack today - challenging his conviction and death sentence.

The Supreme Court on Monday is likely to hear a plea by Ajmal Amir Kasab - the lone Pakistani terrorist to be captured during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack - challenging his conviction and death sentence.

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Kasab was one of 10 Pakistanis who illegally sailed into India from Pakistan and launched the Nov 26-29 mayhem killing 166 people, including foreigners.

His plea seeking suspension of his death sentence is likely to be heard by an apex court bench of Justice Aftab Alam and Justice C.K. Prasad.

Kasab moved the apex court through the authorities at Mumbai's Arther Road Jail, where he is currently lodged.

The apex court had earlier appointed senior counsel Raju Ramachandran as amicus curiae (friend of the court) to defend Kasab.

The case papers run into 11 volumes, including the judgments of the trial court and the Bombay High Court. On the basis of the material supplied by the Maharashtra government, counsel Gaurav Agarwal has filed the petition on behalf of Kasab.

During the hearing on the Maharashtra government's petition challenging the acquittal of Fahim Harshad Mohammad Yusuf Ansari and Sabauddin Shaikh in the Mumbai terror attack case, the apex court Sep 2 permitted the government to complete filing of papers in connection with Kasab's case.

Ansari and Shaikh were acquitted for want of corroborative evidence.

Kasab was awarded death sentence by a Mumbai trial court May 6, 2010. Besides other charges, he was convicted for waging war against the nation. The high court upheld the verdict.