Images don’t lie, 26/11 trial court told
“The images captured on camera do not lie!” argued the prosecution during the ongoing 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case to refute the claim made by the captured Pakistani terrorist Amir Ajmal Kasab that the photographs showing him committing the terror acts were morphed.
Kasab and his accomplice Abu Ismail had fired indiscriminately at unsuspecting passengers waiting at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) here on November 26, 2008 night, killing 52 and injuring many others.
It was perhaps for the first time that the two were actually photographed on camera by a press photographer Sebastian D’souza, who was also awarded the World Press Photo prize for the best photograph. The still images clearly showed the duo moving with AK-56 assault rifles and firing at people, leaving no doubt who the terrorist was.
Although a proof clear enough to nail Kasab, but the Pakistani terrorist, in his statement to the court, said the photograph was morphed. “It was my look-alike who was at the CST, not me.”
During his deposition, Sebastian had said that a photograph can be morphed.
Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, however, contended that for morphing an image, the original photograph of that person is needed. “When Kasab had arrived here from Pakistan on November 26, 2008 the question of morphing his photograph did not arise. “Moreover, no suggestion had been put to the investigating officer during cross-examination that the police had photographed Kasab and then given the pictures for morphing,” the prosecutor told the court.
The prosecution described the 26/11 attack as an act of war on India, deserving death penalty or life imprisonment. It also covered the evidence regarding the death of a police officer Tukaram Ombale, who died while capturing Kasab at Girgaum Chowpatti that night.
The court also reprimanded three newspapers for incorrectly reporting the judge’s comments on the applicability of Section 121 of IPC regarding waging war on India against foreign nationals.
