Supreme Court stays Ajmal Kasab’s death sentence

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the execution of 26/11 terror attack accused Ajmal Amir Kasab and admitted his appeal against conviction and award of death penalty.

“Kasab’s appeal would be given top priority for expeditious hearing and disposal given the nature of the case,” said a bench of Justice Aftab Alam and CK Prasad. It allowed amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran to bring in changes in the Pakistani terrorist’s appeal after perusing the trial court records.

Ramachandram is yet to read Kasab’s letter to the SC against his conviction. He told the bench that the special leave petition on Kasab’s behalf was prepared by advocate Gaurav Aggarwal purely on legal grounds and he would incorporate additional grounds if necessary.

The court also accepted the suggestion of senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam that the appeal filed by Maharashtra government against the acquittal of alleged Indian co-conspirators Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed be heard along with Kasab’s appeal. The court has fixed January 31 for final hearing on the matter.

The Bombay high court had on February 21 upheld the trial court’s order relating to the conviction and sentencing of Kasab as well as its order for acquittal of alleged co-conspirators Ansari and Ahmed. The Maharashtra government, however, has challenged their acquittal citing statements of prosecution witnesses to corroborate their role in the attack.

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