New Delhi . Ajmal Kasab, convicted in the terrorist attacks case that took place in Mumbai on 26 November 2008, had given several arguments during his defense in the court. According to special government lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, Kasab had claimed that he was fond of Bollywood films and that was why he had come to Mumbai. However, instead of taking responsibility for the killings during the attacks, he also tried to put it on his associate Abu Ismail. Nikam recently shared many important aspects related to these incidents.
Rajkummar Rao starrer 'Prahar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam' released in theaters on October 16. Rajkummar Rao played the role of Ujjwal Nikam in the film. During the promotion of the film, Nikam talked about his experiences related to Kasab's trial. According to him, Kasab had confessed to his crime in the court, but also claimed that he himself had not killed anyone.
According to Nikam, Kasab had blamed his associate Abu Ismail for the murders. He also argued that he had definitely come to Mumbai, but he should not be given death sentence. Kasab had cited his attraction towards Bollywood films as the reason for coming to Mumbai. Nikam did not accept his arguments and decided to present the available evidence against him in the court on behalf of the prosecution.
Nikam clarified that the entire case cannot be concluded on the basis of statement of any accused. According to him, Kasab was not accepting all aspects of his role. Therefore, it was necessary to present the evidence collected against him before the court.
Earlier, Nikam had also mentioned Kasab's claim in a television programme. During that time he had told that Kasab had cited being a fan of Hindi films and his desire to visit actor Amitabh Bachchan's house. However, these things came out only in the form of claims made by Kasab.
Nikam also mentioned the conversations between terrorists and their Pakistani handlers during the 26/11 attacks. According to him, the attackers present inside the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel were in touch with their masters through mobile phones. This conversation was intercepted by security agencies. This helped investigators understand the movements of the terrorists during the attack and their behavior with the hostages.
Narrating an incident, Nikam said that some people were held hostage in a hotel room. The handlers asked the attackers how many people they had in their possession. In response, the attacker told that a clerk, a waiter and a teacher were present there. The handler then instructed the alleged teacher to interrogate him about his school and to strip the hostages and leave them in only underwear.
According to Nikam, the handler suspected the man to be a teacher. He asked the attacker to beat him up and ask how a teacher could afford to stay in a five-star hotel. After being beaten, the hostage revealed that he was actually the chairman of a bank.
Nikam said that he later recorded the statement of the bank chairman, but he was very scared at the time of deposing. He had to be prepared to testify. According to Nikam, investigators had recordings of conversations between terrorists and their handlers, which was important evidence in the case.
The film 'Prahar' has been directed by Avinash Arun. In this, Vamika Gabbi has played the role of Jyoti, wife of Ujjwal Nikam, while Lalit Prabhakar has been seen in the role of Ajmal Kasab. The film focuses on Nikam's professional life and his legal battle against Kasab.
The November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks left 166 people dead and hundreds injured. Kasab was the only terrorist captured alive during this attack. At trial he was convicted and sentenced to death. In 2012, the Supreme Court upheld his conviction and sentence. This case was included in the famous criminal cases of India.