26/11 Case: Kasab Held Guilty of 83 Charges; Ansari, Ahmed Acquitted

The lone surviving attacker of Mumbai terror attacks Amir Ajmal Kasab has been held guilty of 83 out of a total of 86 charges, including murder and waging war, against him while the other two Indians accused in the case Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed have been acquitted, said media reports.

Kasab listened attentively as Special Judge M L Tahalyani read out the 1,522-page verdict over almost three hours, reports said.

Tahalyani went through each of the charges against the three accused separately, said reports.

Kasab was found guilty of murdering at least 59 people of the 166 victims, including Indians and foreigners, who lost their lives in the attacks, reports said.

However, two Indian accused Ansari and Ahmed, who were charged with conspiracy in the attacks, were absolved, said reports.

The special judge said that Ansari and Ahmed have been ‘forthwith acquitted from the case and allowed to be set free if they are not wanted in any other case’.

The 59 people Kasab was found guilty of killing include Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar, reports said.

Kasab’s associate Abu Ismail was held guilty of killing IPS officer Ashok Kamte, said reports.

The court, which also held Kasab guilty of waging war against Indian state, found sufficient proof that the perpetrators of the attack were in Pakistan, reports said.

The court ruled that 20 of the wanted accused, including Pakistanis Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Abu Hamza, were involved in the 26/11 conspiracy, said reports.

Kasab was held guilty under provisions of Arms Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Explosives Act, Railway Act and other laws, but smaller charges like forgery were dropped, reports said.

The court found all the ten attacker to be carrying fake identity cards but judge said that it was not proved beyond reasonable doubt that Kasab had himself forged the document, said reports.

Besides being charged under various sections of the IPC, Kasab faced charges under the Explosives Act, the Arms Act, the Passport Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Properties Act, the Customs Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Bombay Police Act, the Foreigners Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

(Based on internet reports)