Kasab targeted as he is from Pak: Lawyer

Mumbai: He is an innocent village boy who became the scapegoat in the 26/11 terror attacks case as he is a Pakistani, this is how Ajmal Kasab's lawyer KP Pawar described the terrorist in his final arguments in the trial on Thursday.

"Kasab has no connection with the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks. He has been arrested by police just because he is a Pakistani and according to the police the conspiracy of the attack was hatched in Pakistan," Pawar told a special court in Mumbai.

Earlier, Kasab had taken a similar stand before the court when he gave his statement after the recording of evidence.

Kasab had come to India a fortnight before November 26 and was arrested by police from suburban Juhu Chowpatty where he had gone for a stroll, Pawar said.

"Kasab is an innocent boy from a small village in Pakistan who has become an easy prey and target for the police," he lawyer told special Judge ML Tahiliyani.

Pawar further said since all the 10 terrorists who had carried out the attacks were dead, the police had to arrest someone to show that one of the conspirators has been arrested.

"Police are not able to arrest the 35 absconding accused and hence are targeting an innocent person," he argued.

According to Pawar, the evidence adduced by the prosecution in the form of photographs, CCTV footages and DNA tests are "manipulated, fabricated and improbable".

On Kasab's confession before a magistrate and his guilt plea before the special court, Pawar said it was given under police "duress".

"The police had assured that he would be given lesser punishment and would be shifted out of this jail if he pleaded guilty," he said.

Pawar further argued that the police has tutored the witnesses to give evidence against the gunman. Pawar will continue his arguments tomorrow after which the lawyers of the two other arrested accused - Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed - would make their final arguments.

The court would then declare a date on which it would pass the judgement in the case.

Ansari and Ahmed were arrested for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy of the 26/11 attacks in which 166 people were killed and several others injured.