Special judge ML Tahaliyani reserved his judgement for Thursday after public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and defence counsel KP Pawar wrapped up their arguments on the quantum of sentence to 22-year-old Kasab.
The 26/11 court today fixed May 6 for sentencing Ajmal Kasab in the Mumbai attacks case after the prosecution pitched for death penalty for the Pakistani terrorist and the defence pleaded for leniency given his young age.
Special judge ML Tahaliyani reserved his judgement for Thursday after public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and defence counsel KP Pawar wrapped up their arguments on the quantum of sentence to 22-year-old Kasab, who was held guilty of mass murder and waging war against the nation yesterday.
"Such a monster should be given death penalty...He is an agent of devil himself. If Kasab is given lesser punishment, India will become a soft target for every self-styled terror group," Nikam said in his arguments over quantum of sentence.
Nikam described the killing of 166 people in the terror strikes as a rarest of the rare case fit for awarding death to the convict.
"There has been a high degree of cruelty and Kasab had total disregard for life. Kasab is a killing machine and such machines are manufactured in Pakistan," Nikam told the court.
Nikam said, "Kasab has lost every right to live. He was not happy after killing 72 persons and wanted to kill more."
He said Kasab was in a joyous mood after seeing people dying in pain and agony after opening indiscriminate fire at the bustling Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and elsewhere on November 26, 2008.
"There was no remorse and he said in his confession before the magistrate that he wanted to inspire future 'fidayeens' (suicide killers)." Nikam cited nine Supreme Court judgements to show that the case fell in the rarest of rare category in which death penalty was necessary.
In his arguments, the defence lawyer pleaded for leniency to be shown to the Pakistani terrorist on account of his young age and lack of previous criminal record.
"He (Kasab) is young and chances of him reforming are likely. He should be rehabilitated," Pawar said.
In a complete volte face from his contention during the trial that Kasab was innocent and was picked up by the police several days before the 26/11 attacks, his counsel said," He was blinded by religion and committed the crime under extreme mental and emotional disturbance.
"He is a human being and should be given a chance to reform."
Delivering his verdict yesterday, 17 months after Kasab and his nine Pakistani accomplices had unleashed terror on the country's financial capital, judge Tahiliyani had pronounced him guilty of mass murder and waging war against India.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}