Kasab sends mercy petition to President

Mumbai terror attack convict Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab has moved a mercy petition before the President, over a fortnight after the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence in the 26/11 case.

"We have sent a mercy petition to the President filed by Kasab," a senior official at the high-security Arthur Road Jail where Kasab is lodged, told PTI.

However, the officer did not reveal as to when he had filed the petition.

Kasab had been given a certified copy of the Supreme Court verdict confirming his death sentence last week.

"Kasab was given certified copy of his death sentence confirmation verdict three days ago. One copy was given to him and the other was sent to the Supreme Court with his signature," an official of the Arthur Road Jail had said.

Asked if the Pakistani gunman, lodged in the bomb-proof "anda cell" (egg-shaped cell), had been explained options before him, including moving a mercy plea, the official said Kasab was told about all procedures and rights he has as a convict, including moving a mercy petition.

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On August 29, the Supreme Court had confirmed the death penalty awarded to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative by the trial court and later upheld by the Bombay high court.

A bench of justices Aftab Alam and C K Prasad had dismissed the 25-year-old's plea challenging his conviction and death sentence in the 26/11 case.

Kasab and nine other Pakistani terrorists had landed in south Mumbai on November 26, 2008 by sea from Karachi and had gone on a shooting spree at various places, killing 166 people, including foreigners.

While Kasab was captured alive, the other terrorists were killed by security forces.

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