Kasab''s fate to be decided on Feb 21

Mumbai, Feb 7 (PTI) The Bombay High Court will decidethe fate of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab on February 21when it will pronounce the judgement on confirmation of deathsentence to the LeT operative in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks,nine months after it was handed down by a trial court.

Justices Ranjana Desai and R V More said they wereready with the judgement even today but because of bulky paperwork and heavy compilation they would pronounce the verdict onFebruary 21.

On the same day, the judges said, they would also givejudgement on the appeal filed by the Maharashtra governmentchallenging the acquittal of co-accused Faheem Ansari andSabauddin Ahmed in the same case. They were given the benefitof doubt by the trial court.

The judges today asked government counsel Ujjwal Nikamto make arrangements for video conference link in the courtfor Kasab on the day of judgement in case he wanted to hearthe verdict from the Arthur Road Central jail where he islodged.

The judges expressed their inability to considerKasab''s lawyer Amin Solkar''s request for postponing theverdict for February 28 as he was going abroad.

"We are happy to hear the date of judgement. Theappeals and confirmation of death sentence have been decidedwithin a span of just four months, considering the sensitivenature of the case and voluminous record", Nikam told PTI.

"The matter was kept today for directions. The judgesdid not have queries and so they fixed the date for givingjudgement," Solkar said. (More) PTI SVS SK