26/11 trial completed in quickest possible time: Veerappa Moily

As the country observes the second anniversary of the 26/11 attacks, law minister M Veerappa Moily today said the trial in the case was "fair" and completed in the "quickest possible time".

"The process of trial is over and he (Ajmal Kasab) has been convicted. Only question is about the natural process of appeal and all and you can't cut short that. That is for the judiciary to decide and adjudicate as early as possible. I agree with you but for the first time, in case of this dimension, the trial has been completed in quickest possible time," he told reporters here.

The minister was asked if Kasab's trial should be completed in a fixed time-frame and should not be allowed to drag on for a long period.

On demand by Kasab's lawyers for a retrial, the minister said, "It is for the high court to consider whether it was fair trial or not but I don't think anybody can reflect on the trial. It was very fair and it was in the public domain. In our country, judiciary doesn't function secretly, everything is open and most transparent."

Today is the second anniversary of the 26/11 attacks in which terrorists entered Mumbai using the sea route to attack multiple targets in the city killing 166 people. The lone terrorist captured alive, Ajmal Kasab, was sentenced to death by a Mumbai court in May.