Kasab guilty of killings at Taj, Oberoi, Nariman House: Prosecution

Lone surviving gunman Ajmal Kasab is guilty of killing people at The Taj, Hotel Oberoi-Trident and Nariman House although he did not directly participate in the terror attacks at these places, the prosecution argued before the trial court on Thursday.

Some portions of the confession made by Kasab before a magistrate were corroborated by telephonic conversations between the terrorists and their Pakistani handlers intercepted by the police during terror attacks, which proved Kasab’s role in the conspiracy, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam submitted.

While Kasab and slain terrorist Abu Ismail had rained bullets at people at Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus, Cama Hospital, Metro Junction and planted bombs in two taxis, eight other team members had killed people in Hotel Taj, Hotel Trident and Nariman House.

“Kasab has been changing colours from time to time and he has also refused to acknowledge CCTV footage of his friends who struck terror at Hotel Taj, Trident and Nariman House.

But I have circumstantial evidence to establish that Kasab is guilty of attacks at these places also,” Nikam argued.

Nikam told judge M.L. Tahaliyani that Kasab had stated in his confession that LeT chief Hafeez Sayeed had given a code name to all the attackers including himself (Kasab). This is corroborated in telephone conversations between the terrorists and their handlers.

Nikam further argued Kasab had stated in confession that LeT leader Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi had told terrorist Abu Ismael to open the bottom valve of Kuber boat (by which they arrived in Mumbai) so that the vessel would sink and evidence would be destroyed.

Kasab had stated in confession that they did not open the valve of Kuber boat while leaving the vessel because they spotted another boat and thought it belonged to the Indian Navy.

So in a haste, they forgot to open the valve.

This is also corroborated in telephone conversations the attackers had with their handlers during the terror attacks at the two hotels and Nariman House, Nikam said.

Nikam said this proved that whatever Kasab had told the magistrate in his confession was “completely true“.

Quoting another instance, Prosecutor Nikam said Kasab had also stated in his confession that he had killed Amarsinh Solanki, the navigator of Kuber boat.

The prosecution state that the terrorists had come from Pakistan by boat. Midway, they hijacked the Kuber boat and arrived by that vessel near Mumbai. Then they switched to a dingy (rubber boat) which they had brought from Pakistan to reach the coast.