To avoid delay in legal proceedings against convicted 26/11 Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab, India has decided to turn down all requests from any other country seeking access to Kasab to record his confessions for the 26/11 trial being held in other countries. The special anti-terror court in Mumbai has already pronounced death sentence for Kasab.
However, there are civil and criminal cases pending in the United States and Pakistan linked to the 26/11 terror attack. There are victims of 26/11 who have also filed cases in the US, a top government official said. The home ministry is wary that if Kasab is allowed to be questioned in any other case, then he can immediately take the plea that his execution be stayed since legal cases against him are still pending elsewhere.
India has conveyed to Pakistan during the just concluded home secretary level talks, that the letter rogatory pending here from Pakistan pertaining to recording Kasab’s confession, cannot be executed.
The home ministry has said that the Indian magistrate who recorded Kasab’s statement has already given his statement to the Pakistan judicial commission.
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IITs approach HRD ministry
Age Correspondent
New Delhi, May 29
A day after Andhra Pradesh high court striking down the 4.5 per cent sub-quota to minorities within OBC reservation, the IITs, which are in midst of the counselling process, have sought a direction from the government on the issue.
As many as 325 aspirants belonging to economically and socially backward sections of minority communities have been shortlisted for admission to the 15 Indian Institutes of Technology under the sub-quota.