The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's petition seeking dismissal of the case registered against him regarding Mumbai terror attacks for a fortnight to study the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab, who was awarded death sentence in India for 26/11 attacks.
Sultan Ahmed Khwaja submitted Kasab's confessional statement in the court, wherein Lakhvi has been nominated as a co-accused. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday on Tuesday received an English translation of Ajmal Kasab's confession statement.
Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and six other suspects-Zarar Shah, Abu al-Qama, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum and Jamil Ahmed were arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act, Pakistan Penal Code and cyber crimes law in November 2009.
Sultan Ahmed Khwaja, counsel for Lakhvi, who is also heading a team of lawyers defending the seven men being tried by an anti-terrorism court, doubted authenticity of Kasab's statement saying he was produced before a magistrate on February 18, 2009 for recording his statement, however was sent back after 24 hours without recording the statement. When appeared on the next day, Kasab was again sent back for another 48 hours without a statement. And it was the third time when Kasab recorded his statement.
Khwaja said that Kasab's statement conceding Lahvi as co-accused contains his signature but why Kasab recorded it in Hindi? Earlier this month, an Indian court found Kasab guilty on 86 charges for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed scores. Afterwards, he was awarded death sentence. Earlier, Khwaja while commenting on the conviction of Kasab had said that his clients would benefit from the verdict of an Indian court that convicted Ajmal Kasab and acquitted two Indian nationals Faheem Arshad Ansari and Sabauddin.
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