26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack: MHA rejects Kasab's mercy plea

New Delhi, Oct 23: If media reports are to be believed the mercy plea of 26/11

attack convict Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab was rejected by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday, Oct 23. It seems MHA has sent the recommendations to to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Earlier, the Maharashtra home department had also recommended to President Pranab Mukherjee to reject Kasab's mercy plea. Senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam has welcomed the development, saying "President has to study the recommendation of MHA. It's a positive phase in the case. It's a good development." K Unnikrishnan, NSG martyr Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's father, said, "I am happy that we did not make a mistake. I am very sure that President will take a decision very soon."

Kasab had sent his mercy petition to President Pranab Mukherjee last month. Kasab's mercy plea was been filed through the Arthur road jailor to the President's office. Kasab has been sentenced to death in the 26/11 case.

If executed, Kasab will be the 52nd person to be hanged in India since independence. Kasab is ahead of him people like Mohammed Afzal Guru, the terrorist condemned to the gallows for his involvement in the December 2001 Parliament attack case, awaiting the President's decision on his mercy petition.

In August 29, the Supreme Court had confirmed the death penalty awarded to the LeT operative by the trial court and later upheld by the Bombay High Court.

A bench of justices Aftab Alam and CK Prasad had dismissed the 25-year-old's plea challenging his conviction and death sentence in the 26/11 case.

Kasab and nine other Pakistani terrorists had landed in south Mumbai on November 26, 2008 by sea from Karachi and had gone on a shooting spree at various places, killing 166 people, including foreigners.

OneIndia News

(with inputs from PTI)