SC recommends Kasab case for law students

The Supreme Court, in its judgement confirming the Bombay high court order on the terrorist Ajmal Kasab's death sentence, also praised the trial court judge M L Tahiliani for exemplary handling of the records, saluted  martyr policemen and also praised the much-talked-about spirit of Mumbai.     

The Supreme Court praised trial court judge and has recommended that trial court records of this case be included in the curriculum of the National Judicial Authority and the judicial authorities of different states as a model for criminal trial proceedings.

The Supreme Court bench of Justice Aftab Alam and Justice C K Prasad said in the judgement, 'In the course of hearing of the appeal, we also came to know the trial Judge Shri Tahiliani. From the records of the case he appears to be a stern, no-nonsense person. But he is a true flag bearer of the rule of law in this country. The manner in which he conducted the trial proceedings and maintained the record is exemplary.'

Kasab, along with nine other Pakistani terrorists, had reached south Mumbai from Karachi by sea on the night of 26 November 2008 and had gone on a shooting spree at various city landmarks, killing 166 people. While Kasab was captured alive, the other terrorists in his group were killed by security forces during the counter-terror operations.

The court, in its judgement, has also remembered the security personnel who lost their lives fighting the Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai and termed them heroes. 'In this case we came across heroes like Tukaram Ombale, Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar and Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who lost their lives in the fight against terrorism. We salute every policeman, every member of the security forces and others who laid down their lives saving others and helping to catch or neutralise the 10 terrorists,' said the court in its 398-page judgement.