Kasab continues to be in denial mode over 26/11

MUMBAI - Pakistani terror accused Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab Monday continued to deny his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks before the Special Court here.

He denied having opened fire inside Cama Hospital or killing three top police officials - Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar.

On Dec 18, Kasab had backtracked on his earlier confessions. He had said that he was coerced into making a confession by the magistrate and said that he was not present during the firing inside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). He had also said that he had never seen an AK-47 rifle.

He continued his denials Monday by claiming that he had not hijacked the Skoda vehicle near Nariman Point.

As per the evidence of witnesses recorded earlier before Special Judge M.L. Tahaliyani, Kasab and his associate Abu Ismail had hijacked the Skoda car and sped off towards Girgaum Chowpatty where they were finally nabbed by a police patrol at a road block.

His retraction has come while his statement was being recorded under Section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) before Special Judge M.L. Tahaliyani - a vital procedure that is undertaken after the prosecution completes examination of all its witnesses.

The Nov 26, 2008 terror attacks by 10 Pakistani nationals, including the lone captured Kasab, left 166 people dead and many more injured.