SC confirms death for Kasab, says he deserves nothing less

Upholds Acquittal Of Two Alleged Indian Plotters

Dhananjay Mahapatra TNN  (Source:: The Times of India, 30-08-2012, p.01)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sent 26/11 Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab to the gallows, finding him guilty of the Mumbai attacks which killed 166 people. Upholding the Bombay high court’s sentence on five counts, the apex court said the “enormity of the crime on all scales” left it with no other option. The Bombay high court had on February 22, 2011 upheld the death term awarded to Kasab by a trial court. 
    Focusing on the evidence that pointed to 26/11 being hatched in Pakistan and executed by a 10-member team trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a bench of Justices Aftab Alam and C K Prasad said the conspiracy was vicious and ruthless. “In short, this is a case of terror from across the border. It has a magnitude of unprecedented enormity on all scales. The conspiracy was as deep and large as it was vicious. The preparation and training for the execution was as thorough as the execution was ruthless,” the SC said. 
    Refusing to show mercy to Kasab, the court said he behaved as if he was a patriot from Pakistan who was proud of what he had done. But the SC upheld the acquittal of alleged Indian plotters Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed. 

 
'NO OPTION IN VIEW OF ENORMITY OF THE CRIME' 
The 2-judge SC bench, in a unanimous judgment, upheld the death penalty on five counts. It said: 
This is a case of terrorist attack from across the border. It has a magnitude of unprecedented enormity on all scales. The conspiracy was as deep and large as it was vicious. Preparation and training was as thorough as the execution was ruthless
In terms of loss of life and property, and more importantly in its traumatizing effect, this case stands alone, or it is at least the very rarest of rare to come before this court since the birth of the republic. It should attract the rarest of rare punishment 
The only mitigating factor is the appellant’s young age, but that is completely offset by the absence of any remorse on his part, or possibility of any reformation 
What next? Kasab can file a review petition which is mostly disposed of by judges in their chambers. He can seek clemency, from governor, then President 
Pending mercy petitions 12 Convicts on death row 402 by end of 2010