Kasab to appeal next week in HC against death penalty

Kasab to appeal next week in HC against death penalty

The lawyers of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab are getting ready to file an appeal in the Bombay High Court next week challenging the death penalty awarded to him for his role in the 26/11 terror strikes.

"The appeal has been drafted and is in final stages of preparation...We are giving finishing touches," advocate Amin Solkar, appointed by the Maharashtra Legal Aid Committee on a directive of the High Court to defend Kasab, told media.

In a related development, Lucknow Police would produce Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed before a sessions court in Mumbai on 23rd September as directed by the High Court which admitted the state government's appeal against the trial court's order challenging their acquittal in the 26/11 case.

The high court had earlier ordered issue of warrants to compel the presence of the duo in the lower court. Both are lodged in different jails in Uttar Pradesh in connection with an attack on CRPF camp in Rampur on 1^st January, 2008, in which eight persons were killed.

Meanwhile, the high court would Monday hear the matter pertaining to confirmation of death sentence awarded by the trial court to Kasab.

A division bench may fix a schedule for a day-to-day hearing of the confirmation matter along with appeals of the state government and Kasab.

This is expected to take about three months to conclude. Until then, Kasab will continue to be lodged in solitary confinement in the heavily-guarded Arthur Road Central jail.

Kasab was on 3^rd May found guilty for his role in the Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead along with nine other accomplices of Lashkar-e-Taiba. While he was captured alive by police, others were shot dead by security forces.