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Conviction proves our laws are adequate: Chidambaram
Vibha Sharma/Tribune News Service

P Chidambaram

New Delhi, May 6
Home Minister P Chidambaram today said Indian laws were adequate and conviction of Ajmal Kasab for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai carnage on the basis of evidence gathered against him was a proof of that.

Commenting on discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the functioning of his ministry, the Home Minister said the Opposition BJP’s demand for POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) was a minority view. “Kasab was convicted not on the basis of his confession but on the basis of the evidence gathered against him. This was not only oral evidence but a wealth of material that was painstakingly gathered. We were able to reconstruct the path (of 10 attackers) from Karachi to Mumbai. We were able to track mobile phone conversations within hours of the attack,” he said.

Chidambaram said using technology, investigators were even able to retrieve material from damaged mobile phones.

Going further, he questioned as to “What would have POTA provisions added to this trial,” adding that large sections of the society, including minorities, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and weaker segments and political parties, had already rejected the point of view for POTA- type law.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley had urged adequate legal infrastructure for investigators. Building a case for bring back POTA - an anti-terror law enacted by the BJP-led government which was later scrapped by the UPA and replaced by UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) - he asked the Home Minister to introspect whether the country needed stricter laws to ensure that “handlers” in such cases do not get away.