Ajmal Kasab moves mercy plea before Indian president: Report
Indian jail official says Kasab was told about procedures, rights he has as convict, including moving mercy petition.
Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, has moved a mercy petition before Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, reported The Times of India on Tuesday.
The move comes almost a fortnight after the Indian Supreme Court upheld his death penalty for the Mumbai carnage in which 166 people were killed.
A senior official at Arthur Road Jail said, “We have sent a mercy petition to the president filed by Kasab.” The officer, however, did not reveal as to when the petition was filed by Kasab.
“Kasab was given certified copy of his death sentence confirmation verdict three days ago. One copy was given to him and the other was sent to the Supreme Court with his signature,” the official said.
He added that, “Kasab was told about all procedures and rights he has as a convict, including moving a mercy petition.”
Mohammed Kasab had earlier launched an appeal claiming he had not been given a fair trial.
He was found guilty of charges including waging war against India, murder and terrorist acts, and was given the death penalty in May 2010.
During the November 2008 attacks, heavily armed gunmen stormed targets in Mumbai including luxury hotels, a Jewish centre, a hospital and a bustling train station.
India blames the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant outfit for training, equipping and financing the gunmen with support from “elements” in the Pakistan military.
Kasab initially pleaded not guilty but later confessed, admitting he was one of the gunmen sent by the LeT.
The move comes almost a fortnight after the Indian Supreme Court upheld his death penalty for the Mumbai carnage in which 166 people were killed.
A senior official at Arthur Road Jail said, “We have sent a mercy petition to the president filed by Kasab.” The officer, however, did not reveal as to when the petition was filed by Kasab.
“Kasab was given certified copy of his death sentence confirmation verdict three days ago. One copy was given to him and the other was sent to the Supreme Court with his signature,” the official said.
He added that, “Kasab was told about all procedures and rights he has as a convict, including moving a mercy petition.”
Mohammed Kasab had earlier launched an appeal claiming he had not been given a fair trial.
He was found guilty of charges including waging war against India, murder and terrorist acts, and was given the death penalty in May 2010.
During the November 2008 attacks, heavily armed gunmen stormed targets in Mumbai including luxury hotels, a Jewish centre, a hospital and a bustling train station.
India blames the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant outfit for training, equipping and financing the gunmen with support from “elements” in the Pakistan military.
Kasab initially pleaded not guilty but later confessed, admitting he was one of the gunmen sent by the LeT.