Bombay HC''s verdict on Kasab''s fate tomorrow

Mumbai, Feb 20 (PTI) The Bombay High Court will deliverits verdict on the fate of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasabtomorrow, nine months after he was pronounced guilty ofperpetrating the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and sentenced todeath.

The division bench of Justices Ranjana Desai and R VMore, apart from pronouncing the judgement on confirmation ofdeath sentence to Kasab, will also deliver its verdict onMaharashtra government''s plea against the acquittal of twoIndians accused of aiding in commission of the crime.

Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed had been acquitted bythe trial court on May 6, the day it held Kasab guilty andordered him to be sent to the gallows, on the ground of"doubtful evidence".

The duo was charged with drawing maps of targets andgiving them to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. The LeT handedover these maps to Kasab and nine other terrorists who landedin Mumbai from Karachi by sea to unleash terror. One such mapwas recovered from the pocket of slain terrorist Abu Ismail.

Besides confirmation of death penalty to Kasab, the courtalso heard an appeal filed by him against his conviction inthe diabolic attacks on November 26, 2008 that left 166 deadand many more injured.

During the arguments, Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam termed theattack as an "act of state-sponsored terrorism" executed byLeT with the aid of Pakistan''s security establishment.

The thrust of Nikam''s arguments was that the conspiracywas hatched in Pakistan with an express intention todestabalise India, wage war against the country, terrorise itscitizens, create financial losses and issue a warning tonations whose people were targeted in the attacks. (More) PTISVS SK RSY