26/11 trial: Ajmal Kasab challenges death sentence in Supreme Court

Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who has been sentenced to death for killing 166 people during the 26/11 attacks, has challenged his conviction and death sentence in the Supreme Court.

Surinder Singh, inspector general (prison), Arthur Road Jail, said Kasab has sent a letter seeking stay on his execution to the Supreme Court (SC) through the jail authorities.

The SC may take up his letter petition along with the Maharashtra government's appeal against the acquittals of Indian alleged co-conspirators Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed next week.

Kasab was one of the 10 gunmen who attacked Mumbai on the night of November 26, 2008.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba operative was convicted by the trial court for murder, conspiracy and waging a war against India and sentenced to death last year. The verdict was upheld by the Bombay high court this year.

As Kasab has invoked the fundamental principle of Indian Constitution that every one has the right to life, the court may not have any other option but stay his execution and fix a time schedule to dispose of the matter, sources said.

As the court will appoint a lawyer to represent Kasab at the state's cost, there have been concerns among a set of lawyers who appear for unrepresented litigants facing grave charges.

— With agency inputs