HC upholds Kasab''s death penalty

Mumbai, Feb 21 (PTI) The Bombay High Court todayconfirmed the death penalty to 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab,terming the case as rarest of rare and holding there was "noscope of reform" of the convict.

"There is no scope of reform or rehabilitation of theconvicted accused. It is a rarest of rare case and the courtcannot be more confident than it is today that death penaltymust be given," a division bench of Justices Ranjana Desai andR V More observed, upholding the death sentence to 24-year-oldKasab.

"Aapko saza-e-maut yeh adalat barkarar karti hai. AapSupreme Court mein appeal zari kar sakte hain (Your deathsentence is upheld. You can appeal before the Supreme Court,"Justice Desai told a bearded Kasab, clad in a spotless whitekurta and sporting a grin, through video conferencing.

The court upheld Kasab''s conviction on all chargesincluding multiple murders, conspiracy and waging war againstthe nation.

The confirmation comes nine months after the lone26/11 terrorist captured alive was ordered to be sent to thegallows by the trial court on May 6, last year.

The court, however, dismissed the Maharashtragovernment''s petition against the acquittal of two IndiansFaheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, accused of aiding thecommission of the crime.

"We are with the trial court''s observation that thereis no corroboration of evidence to prove involvement of FaheemAnsari and Sabauddin Ahmed in the case," the judgement said.

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