Kasab to plead against death penalty next week

The lawyers of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab are getting ready to file an appeal in the Bombay High Court next week challenging the death penalty awarded to him for his role in the 26/11 terror strikes.

"The appeal has been drafted and is in final stages of preparation...We are giving finishing touches," advocate Amin Solkar, appointed by the Maharashtra Legal Aid Committee on a directive of the High Court to defend Kasab, told PTI.

In a related development, Lucknow Police would produce Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed before a sessions court in Mumbai on September 23 as directed by the high court, which admitted the state government's appeal against the trial court's order challenging their acquittal in the 26/11

case.

The high court had earlier ordered issue of warrants to compel the presence of the duo in the lower court.

Both are lodged in different jails in Uttar Pradesh in connection with an attack on CRPF camp in Rampur on January 1, 2008, in which eight persons were killed.

Meanwhile, the high court would on Monday hear the matter pertaining to confirmation of death sentence awarded by the trial court to Kasab.