Kasab denies his role in 26/11, refuses to identify his photo

Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab has told the court that he was not the “short gunman” at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, who sprayed bullets from his AK-47 on scores of hapless passengers at the station on the night of November 26, 2008. He told special judge ML Tahaliyani on Friday that he was in police custody when the city was attacked that night.

So, when the court asked him on Monday how did he sustain bullet injuries on his hand, Kasab said that policemen administered him anaesthesia in the lockup and shot him on his hand. “I was shot at in the police lockup. I was given an injection that made me unconscious. They shot me on my arm. It did not hurt much,” he said.

Kasab allegedly sustained the bullet injuries in a crossfire with three senior police officers, Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar, all of whom were killed at Rang Bhavan Lane on the the night of 26/11. Kasab, however, told the court that he could not have fired at them as he was not there. He also denied having shot assistant sub-inspector Tukaram Ombale, who was allegedly killed by Kasab near Girgaum Chowpatty.

Over 200 questions have been put up by the court ever since it started recording Kasab’s statement on Friday. When Kasab was brought to the court on Tuesday morning, he told the judge, “Record my statement tomorrow. I am not in the right state of mind. I will not eat tomorrow.” The judge, however, asked him about his health, and continued to record his statement.

When the court showed him the photographs taken by photojournalist Sebastian D’Souza, Kasab said, “Woh (D’Souza) government ke saath mila tha (He was hand-in-glove with the government).” He added that the images were not his.

Kasab denied carrying any gun. “How will I get an AK-47,” he asked the judge. When the Tahaliyani referred to his “slain accomplice”, Abu Ismail, Kasab said, “I had no accomplice except for the police.”

The court staff showed Kasab the cargo pants and the shirt he had allegedly wore on 26/11. He said, “The blood on the pants was mine; it had been dabbed on it. But if you see the pants, you will find that the size is too small for me.”

Kasab was also shown his shoes. Looking at them carefully, the alleged gunman said, “They are not mine. My shoe size is at least 8 or 9.”

Kasab, however, did not deny getting admitted to Nair Hospital. “I was taken there so that my statement can be recorded and shown to the media,” he said.