‘Our probe stands vindicated’

The Maharashtra police on Wednesday said Ajmal Kasab's was a landmark case as the collection of evidence was difficult, particularly so since the conspiracy was hatched on foreign soil. The Supreme Court verdict upholding the death sentence to the lone surviving 26/11 terrorist, hence, is an "important milestone in the fight against terror".

"It was a challenge for us to prove that terrorists were trained, equipped and launched from foreign soil and submit the chargesheet in the stipulated 90 days," said Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Rakesh Maria in Pune. "Our investigation team included 99 officers and men. We submitted 14,280 pages of the chargesheet on February 25, 2009, within 90 days. We had 6,057 witnesses. Subsequent evidence proved the charge sheet right. First, the session court gave death sentence to the accused. It was upheld by the High Court and today by the Supreme Court," he said.

Maria said said look-out and red corner notices have been issued against the suspects abroad.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Mumbai, Himanshu Roy said, "This verdict is a vindication of the Crime Branch's investigation. The prosecution has also done a good job in ensuring that the death penalty for Kasab was upheld," said Roy.

The Crime Branch used several experts to build a case against Kasab, and their depositions helped ensure death penalty for Kasab. "Police agencies worldwide closely scrutinised our investigation. It was for the first time in India that experts from the US testified before an Indian court," said Maria.

Speaking about Kasab's appeal against the death penalty, Roy said, "This proves that we are fair, judicious and democratic."

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