NEW DELHI: Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said 26/11 convict Ajmal Amir Kasab's file with the President's decision rejecting his mercy petition was signed by him and sent to the Maharashtra government on November 8 itself.
Kasab, he said, was hanged on the date pre-decided by the court. Shinde added that the due diplomatic process was followed before hanging Kasab. This included sending a fax, through the ministry of external affairs, to the Pakistan foreign office. Islamabad did not acknowledge the fax, though New Delhi has retained its delivery report and had sent the same to Maharashtra authorities. A courier was also sent to Kasab's recorded Pakistani address in Faridkot village in Okara district. A receipt of the courier is also with the government.
"Since Pakistan has not come forward to acknowledge India's messages on Kasab hanging or to claim his body, his burial had to be done here," Shinde told newspersons this morning.
The MHA recommended rejection of Kasab's mercy petition on October 16 and forwarded the same to President Pranab Mukherjee. Mukherjee sent back the file, accepting the MHA advice, on November 5. "I was out of the country then for the Interpol meet in Rome. I returned on November 7 and found the file on my table. I signed and sent it to Maharashtra government on November 8," said Shinde.
The home minister rebutted suggestions that the hanging was deliberately timed ahead of start of winter session of Parliament, saying that the hanging schedule had been pre-decided by the court.
When asked if Kasab's burial in India could be a reason for trouble - as was apprehended by US forces after they killed Osama bin Laden, leading them to bury him at sea - Shinde ruled it out completely. "India has suffered too much and seen killing of 162 people over three days of war against humanity," he said.
Date of Kasab's hanging was decided by court: Shinde
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Date of Kasab's hanging was decided by court: Shinde
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Date of Kasab's hanging was decided by court: Shinde
