Hang me if you like, not confessing to escape death: Kasab

Mumbai, July 22 (PTI) Mumbai terror attack accused Ajmal
Kasab Wednesday said he was ready to be hanged and wants no
mercy from the court after the prosecution said the lone
surviving gunman in the Mumbai attack was trying to minimize
his role to avoid death penalty and protect his handlers in
Pakistan.

"Agar kisiko aitraaz hai...agar kisi ke dil mein shak
hai ki main phansi se baachne ke liye yeh kar raha hoon toh
beshak phansi ki saaza dijiye. (If anyone feels that I am
confessing to escape the death penalty then the court may
without doubt hang me)," Kasab(22) told special judge M L
Tahilyani who adjourned to Thursday the Mumbai attack trial.

As the judge weighed the pros and cons of the unexpected
confession made by the Pakistani national on Monday admitting
to his involvement in the attack, Special Public Prosecutor
Ujjwal Nikam picked holes in his statement refusing to accept
it and said he was not telling the whole truth.

"Kasab is not telling the whole truth. He has cleverly
minimised his role and has done it to get lesser punishment or
save his handlers in Pakistan," Nikam argued.

Defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi alleged Kasab was mentally
tortured in jail due to which he confessed. The Pakistani
gunman, however, disagreed with his counsel and said, "Aisa
koi masla nahi hai. (There is no such issue)."

Kazmi also said the court was open to ignoring Kasab's
confession and that it must not delay its verdict if it
accepts the statement.

Judge Tahilyani said the court had taken all precautions
to ensure that the confession made was voluntary and without
external influence.

Kasab told Judge Tahilyani that he had not made the
confession seeking any mercy or to escape death penalty.

"Whatever I have done, I have done in this world. It
would be better to be punished in this world. It would be
better than God's punishment. That's why I have pleaded
guilty," Kasab said, adding he was under no pressure to
confess.

"If somebody thinks that I have confessed the crime to
escape the death penalty, he should take it out of his mind,"
he said.

The prosecution had earlier sought the court to verify
whether Kasab was aware of the consequences of his confession.

Judge Tahil yani he was "absolutely satisfied" that
Kasab's statement had been made voluntarily and that he was
aware of the consequences.

"He did not give a statement with a view to getting a
lesser sentence," he said.

Nikam offered a dim view on Kasab's confession arguing
that he had made only a partial and "half-hearted" admission,
which did not cover all the charges.

"Very shrewdly, very cleverly Kasab has tried to save his
own skin by showing he was acting as a subordinate to (slain
terrorist) Abu Ismail," he said.

"He knows that by denying a major role, no Indian court
is going to award the death penalty," he added.

"Kasab is very smart and intelligent to say that he be
given the death penalty because no court will send him to the
gallows if major role of his participation in the crime is
discarded," Nikam said making light of Kasab's "Hang me"
bravado.

Nikam also told the court that there are several
contradictions in the confession and the statement given by
Kasab before a magistrate on February 18. PTI AG
RAI
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