New Delhi, May 3
Within hours of a special court in Mumbai convicting Mohammad Ajmal Kasab for the Mumbai carnage, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today said it sends a message to Pakistan to stop “exporting terror to India”.

“The conviction of Kasab and the acquittal of the two accused shows that India is ruled by law. The court has convicted certain accused. It also acquitted two accused. That shows the independence, fearlessness and integrity of the court,” Chidambaram told reporters here.

He said that it was an open trial in accordance with law and full opportunities were given to the accused to defend themselves. “I am satisfied that within a year we have been able to bring a verdict of conviction of a large number of accused in perhaps a very complex trial,” he said.

Asked what was the message for Pakistan, the Home Minister said: “The judgement is a message to Pakistan that they should not export terror to India. If they do and if the terrorists are apprehended, we will be able to bring them to justice and give them exemplary punishment.”

Happy over the trial ending in conviction, Chidambaram complimented the investigating agencies and prosecution for marshalling evidence against Kasab and his associates.

Despite demands swayed by anger and emotions, he said, the government decided that Kasab and associates should be tried in accordance with law, given all the rights available to any accused.

Asked if Kasab’s case would meet the same fate as Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, whose mercy petition against death sentence is pending, Chidambaram expressed surprise why the media was obsessed with the issue like the Opposition. “We will take up each case according to the order in which the case is pending before the Ministry of Home Affairs and before the President of India. So, the cases will be taken up one by one,” he said.

The Home Minister said his ministry already has sent four cases after reconsideration. “Please remember that all these cases have been sent to the President once. No one can speak what the President will do. I think we should respect the office of the President,” he added.

Meanwhile, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said Kasab’s conviction proved the rule of law prevailed in the country.

New Delhi, May 3
The conviction of Mohammad Ajmal Amir alias Kasab by a special court in Mumbai will mount “pressure” on Pakistan to act against 26/11 attack’s chief conspirators based there, opine security experts.

International relations expert Professor Brahma Chellaney at the Centre for Policy Research feels that the judgement will bring “pressure” on Pakistan to act against the conspirators.

“It is Pakistan which is dragging its feet in the matter. Now that India has done its part, it’s the turn of Pakistan to act,” Chellaney said.

He said the judgement was a “fair” one. “The fact that a couple of accused have been acquitted shows that judge has reached an objective conclusion,” he said.

Former Intelligence Bureau Chief Arun Bhagat felt that the way Pakistan was acting in the case, it was nearly impossible to nail the culprits in that country.

“I am afraid the main conspirators will get away as Pakistan is not interested. They are demanding documents from India whereas the investigations should have taken place there. Just before the pronouncement of the verdict in the case, they wanted Kasab as well. The case is spread across three continents but people who conspired, funded and designed the 26/11 attack are in Pakistan,” he said.

He said the Benazir Bhutto assassination case is a testimony of how investigations are handled in Pakistan.

Bhagat said the judgement was on expected lines as there was “overwhelming evidence” against Kasab and it was a open and shut case.

“About the other two accused there was very little evidence. They were not prime accused. They could have provided logistics and supporting material but were not involved in the killing, he said.

Over 17 months after he and nine other perpetrators unleashed death and devastation on the financial nerve centre of the country, special anti-terror court judge ML Tahaliyani convicted Kasab for the carnage that had left 166 people dead. — PTI