Supreme Court to give verdict on Kasab today

New Delhi, Aug 28: The Supreme Court is set to pronounce its verdict on a petition filed by

, the Pakistani terrorist who was convicted in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, challenging the judgment of

upholding his death sentence. The High Court upheld the terrorist's death penalty on Feb 21, 2011.

Kasab was awarded the death sentence by a Mumbai trial court on May 6, 2010. He was also convicted for waging war against the nation. He was the only terrorist who was caught alive during the anti-terror operation in Mumbai in Nov 2008.

He was among the ten men from Karachi who illegally entered India via water route and launched an attack that killed 166 innocent people, including many foreigners. Kasab was apprehended by sub-inspector Tukaram Ombale but the latter sacrificed his life in the cause by falling prey to the terrorist's bullet.

The court is also set to give its verdict on the Maharashtra government's plea challenging the acquittal of Fahim Harshad Mohammad Yusuf Ansari and Sabauddin Shaikh, who were accused of providing topographical details to the terrorists.

An apex court bench comprising Justices Aftab Alam and Justice CK Prasad reserved the verdict following a marathon of arguments that continued for nearly three months since January.

Kasab said he was denied a fair trial for he was not provided legal assistance as has been termed mandatory by the Indian Constitution. Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, who took up Kasab's case, informed the court that a fair trial was marred by denial of right to counsel at the earliest stage and right to protection against self-incrimination. Gopal Subramanium, who appeared for the Maharashtra government, however, countered by saying that legal aid was provided to Kasab from the very beginning.

OneIndia News