Kasab to challenge death sentence in high court

MUMBAI: All the stoicism that convicted Pakistani gunman Ajmal Amir Kasab displayed when he was sentenced to death by hanging for the 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai seems to have dissipated. Within a month of the verdict, Kasab has approached the Bombay High Court to challenge the death sentence awarded to him by a special court on May 6.

Arthur Road jail authorities confirmed an appeal letter by Kasab along with a copy of the judgment running into over 1,500 pages was forwarded to the high court. The jail petition sent by Kasab has also requested that a lawyer from the legal aid panel be appointed to represent him in the high court.

The High Court Legal Services Committee (HCLSC) has received Kasab’s application which is likely to be placed before Acting Chief Justice JN Patel, who is the patron in chief of Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA), and senior judge Justice Ranjana Desai, chairperson of the HCLSC.

Kasab was provided with free legal aid — initially advocate Abbas Kazmi was his lawyer and then advocate KP Pawar — during his trial. He has the option of choosing senior lawyers from the HC panel to defend him in the high court, said an HC advocate.

MSLSA was formed with the objective of implementing the Constitutional mandate of providing ‘access to justice for all so that justice is not denied by reasons of economic or other disabilities’.