Pakistani gunman Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, who unleashed terror in Mumbai last year with suspected LeT operatives, and two conspirators, today pleaded not guilty to charges framed against them by a special court.
"Yeh sab galat hai, mujhe kabool nahin hai" (these charges are wrong, not acceptable to me), Kasab said in his plea, adding that he wanted to face the trial.
The other two accused, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed also pleaded not guilty to the charges, saying they too would like to go in for trial.
Judge M L Tahaliyani explained all the 86 charges framed against the accused in Hindi, laced with Urdu words such as Sajish (conspiracy), Aarop (accusation) and Jung (war).
All the accused were asked to stand up in the dock and hear the charges.
When Kasab was asked his age, he promptly replied 21. Prosecutor Nikam immediately said "the cat is out of the bag".
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Kasab then said "mujhpe yakeen nahin hai to main kya karoon (If you do not have faith in me, what shall I do?).
However, the judge rebuked Kasab, asking him not to make any comments and address the court only.
The charges framed against Kasab include waging war against nation, murder, attempt to murder, conspiracy, damaging railway property, entering India without valid passport, carrying arms and RDX, planting bombs and firing at various places in Mumbai.
Kasab was also charged with using pistol, AK-47 rifle, robbing car to commit terror act, lobbying hand grenades, setting fire to hotel Taj and Nariman House, using fake I-card of a Hyderabad college to conceal identity and killing Amarsingh Solanki, navigator of Kuber boat by which he (Kasab) and others arrived on the shores of Mumbai from Karachi.
Reading out the charges, the judge said Kasab and other accused would be tried for threatening the sovereignty of India and attacking Mumbai to compel the government of India to separate Jammu and Kashmir from India.
The charges against Kasab also include killing police officers near Cama Hospital, causing grievous injury to police inspector during a shoot-out at Girgaum Chowpatty, killing 52 persons at Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Terminus, gunning down seven at Cama Hospital and planting bombs in taxis which exploded at Vile Parle and Mazgaon.
Kasab would be tried for the murder of 166 persons who fell to the bullets in the terror attack on November 26, 2008. Although he killed 72 persons he will be tried for all the murders as the court framed conspiracy charges against him.