was trying to minimize his role to avoid death penalty and protect his handlers in Pakistan.
"Agar kisiko aitraaz hai...agar kisi ke dil mein shak hai ki main phansi se baachne ke liye yeh kar raha hoon toh beshak phansi ki saaza dijiye. (If anyone feels that I am confessing to escape the death penalty then the court may without doubt hang me)," Kasab(22) told special judge M L Tahilyani who adjourned the trial till Thursday.
As the judge weighed the pros and cons of the unexpected confession made by the Pakistani national on Monday admitting to his involvement in the attack, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam picked holes in his statement refusing to accept it and said he was not telling the whole truth.
"Kasab is not telling the whole truth. He has cleverly minimised his role and has done it to get lesser punishment or save his handlers in Pakistan," Nikam argued.
Defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi alleged Kasab was mentally tortured in jail due to which he confessed. The Pakistani gunman, however, disagreed with his counsel and said, "Aisa koi masla nahi hai. (There is no such issue)."
Kazmi also said the court was open to ignoring Kasab's confession and that it must not delay its verdict if it accepts the statement.
Judge Tahilyani said the court had taken all precautions to ensure that the confession made was voluntary and without external influence.
The special court will give its ruling whether it would accept lone surviving gunman Mohammad Ajmal Kasab's statement admitting his guilt on Thursday.
Special Judge M L Tahilyani said that the court will give its ruling on the statement tomorrow. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam argued that the court may accept Kasab's confession but should allow the prosecution to submit further evidence in the case, as Kasab has not made a full disclosure about his role in the terror attacks.
"The prosecution has to establish before the court why Mumbai was targeted why foreigners were attacked and has to also expose the infrastructure and operations of LeT."
He said if granted permission by the court, the prosecution would complete the trial by August-end.
Nikam also told the court that a team of experts from abroad is yet to be examined in the case.
"If the Pakistan government is serious about combating terrorism then it can use this evidence in a court there as there is a provision for the same in Pakistan's Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC)," Nikam told reporters outside court.
Defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi said it is up to the court to decide whether to accept the Pakistani gunman's statement.
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