A Mumbai Special Court, which conducted the trial of 26/11 terror strikes, announced the death penalty for Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist. The sentencing by Judge M L Tahiliyani makes Kasab the 52nd person on death row in India. Kasab was handed capital punishment for killing 72 people and waging war against the state.
Kasab got the death sentence on four counts, while he got life-term in five other cases.
Kasab, a Pakistani, has turned into India’s one of the costliest prisoner. Till now, the Government has spent over 35 crore rupees for his safety.
Public prosecutor, Ujjwal Nikam, described him as “worse than a wild beast… Kasab is a killing machine… and the orders for this machine came from Pakistan.”
On Monday, Kasab was found guilty on more than 80 of the 86 charges brought against him for planning and executing the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
The death penalty will not be implemented immediately. Kasab has the option of appealing to higher courts, and can also file a mercy petition for the consideration of the President.
Kasab – 51st in hanging queue
Does this mean the government will continue to spend crores of rupees in keeping Kasab safe as there has already been intelligence inputs that terrorists may repeat the Kandahar episode (hijack of Indian Airlines IC-814) which resulted in release of three dreaded terrorists — Maulana Masood Azhar, Mustaq Zargar and Omar Sheikh — in 1999? An official said, “We will have to follow the law. Even if it costs our exchequer, we will have to stick to rules.”
Source: Yahoo News
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