On 3/5/2010 special sessions judge M. L. Tahaliyani declared Ajmal Kasab guilty of 86 charges of 26/11 attack. Sentencing to follow later. Two other accused, Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed, were acquitted.
The judgment could have come early if the chargesheet against Ajmal Kasab was restricted to the crimes he committed instead of it being a chargesheet including all crimes connected to 26/11. Nine terrorists connected to 26/11 were dead, the conspirators were in Pakistan and Pakistan was not willing to hand over them to India. Having a chargesheet over 10,000 pages and examining witnesses not connected to Ajmal Kasab’s crimes prolonged the trial. There could have been separate chargesheets for different crimes of 26/11 attack.
Trials for terrorism and waging war against the state should be different from other trial. The state should not provide the lawyers. The accused should hire the lawyers themselves. If the accused are unable to hire lawyers trials should proceed without defence lawyers.
Sentencing should take place at the time of judgment. There is no need of further arguments about the quantum of punishment.
Phone tapping proved helpful during 26/11 attack.
Reporters covering the judgment had to pass three rings of security. They were in the court by 10.30 a.m. The judge came to the court at 12.10 p.m. Till 2.35 p.m. there was no idea what was going on in the court. As per reports reading of charges took time. Soon after 2.35 p.m. reporters came out and described what had happened.
Live telecast of judgments should be allowed. People will be able to watch of TV. It will save time spent on security arrangements. Reporters can have lunch on time.
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Tag: Phone Tapping
Crime and phone tapping
Outlook has come out with second instalment on telephone tapping. This includes a bureaucrat who wanted Rs.8 crores bribe, a minister in UP who wanted a bribe from engineer and the wife of an air vice marshal who talked to a beautician about prostitution racket.
Corrupt people whose conversations have been tapped must be exposed. Recently there have been some cases of high profile corruption. Two bureaucrats in India’s home ministry have been arrested. One of them took bribes for approving bulletproof jackets. Head of MCI who took bribes to grant recognition to medical colleges has been arrested. Three persons in CRPF who sold arms and ammunition to Naxals have been arrested. Naxals had used those arms and ammunition against CRPF jawans in Dantewada.
There must be many bureaucrats who have taken bribes whose conversations are tapped. The bureaucrat who took Rs.8 crores bribe must have taken bribes before that.
An industrialist had sent a starlet to Calcutta. Who wanted the starlet in Calcutta? What did the industrialist received for sending the starlet? Who was the starlet?
Tatas have defended their PR firm saying theirs was legitimate lobbying.
Link to e-book King – a novel: http://go4quiz.com/vincent/king
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Politicians and phone tapping
On 23/4/2010 Outlook reported that phones of four politicians were tapped. They were Digvijay Singh, Nitish Kumar, Prakash Karat and Sharad Pawar. The period stretched from February 2007 to April 2010. Vinod Mehta, editor of Outlook, claimed his sources were impeccable.
It is difficult to believe that over four years and two months phones of only four politicians were tapped. Either the sources did not give full information to Vinod Mehta or Vinod Mehta had held back some information.
Who were the other persons whose phones were tapped? How many phones were tapped during 2009 elections and how much UPA benefit from it? Why is no BJP leader mentioned?
It is possible that Advani’s phone was tapped and Congress came to know about his hopes of UPA’s fall and NDA forming government with him as prime minister.
It is possible that phones of Amar Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav were tapped and the information received was useful in making SP support UPA during trust vote. It is possible that Mayawati’s phone was tapped.
It is possible that phones of BJP members who defied party whip to vote against trust motion in July 2008 were tapped and there was something that Congress leaders knew about them.
It is possible that phones of five independent MLAs who were party of NDA government in Jharkhand were tapped and there was something that Congress leaders knew about them that made the MLAs quit NDA and join UPA and form the government headed by Madhu Koda.
It is possible that phones of leaders of various political parties were tapped during 2009 elections and Congress leaders knew about their strategies.
It is possible that phones of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners were tapped during 2009 and other elections and Congress leaders knew about election schedules in advance. One CEC had accused an EC of leaking secrets and had recommended his dismissal. The EC was promoted as CEC.
It is possible that phones of journalists were tapped.
What do Vinod Mehta’s impeccable sources have to say about the above possibilities?
Link to e-book King – a novel: http://go4quiz.com/vincent/king
Link to e-book Pope – a novel: http://go4quiz.com/vincent/pope