Confession Not Intended at Seeking Mercy; Hang Me if You Want: Kasab

Amid speculations that the only surviving accused of last year’s Mumbai terror attacks Amir Ajmal Kasab has pleaded guilty only to drive mileage, he told the special sessions court at Arthur Jail Road that his decision to confess was not for seeking mercy or escape death penalty.

In the special court, Kasab told judge M L Tahilyani that he had not pleaded guilty for seeking any mercy or to escape death penalty.

“Agar kisiko aitraaz hai…agar kisi ke dil mein shak hai ki main phansi se bachne ke liye yeh kar raha hoon toh beshak phansi ki saza dijiye. (If anyone feels that I am confessing to escape the death penalty then the court may without doubt hang me),” Kasab said.

It should be noted that the prosecution had earlier pleaded the court that it verify if the accused knew the outcomes of his confession. In response, Judged Tahilyani informed that the court had taken all precautions to ensure that the confession made was intentional and without external influence.

The court also noticed that on July 20 Kasab had said, “Maine duniya mein yeh kiya hai toh saza bhi duniyawalon se hi milni chahiya. Khuda se nahi. (I have done this in the world so I should be punished by people and not God).”

Defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi alleged that Kasab was mentally tortured in the jail due to which he confessed. The Pakistani gunman, however, disagreed with his counsel on torture charge and said, “Aisa koi masla nahi hai. (There is no such issue).”