Rana verdict contradictory: Ujjwal Nikam
June 10th, 2011 - 4:18 pm ICT by IANSMumbai, June 10 (IANS) Eminent lawyer Ujjwal Nikam Friday termed as “contradictory” the decision of a US court to clear Pakistan-born Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana in the 2008 Mumbai attack but said it would not affect the ongoing legal proceedings against the Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT), which India holds responsible for the carnage.
Nikam, who prosecuted the Mumbai terror attack trial and secured the death sentence for Ajmal Kasab, said the Chicago court judgement also raised serious questions of law since “the law of conspiracy is common everywhere in the world”.
“Accordingly, once a criminal conspiracy is hatched for committing any illegal act, then all the participants of the conspiracy are liable for it whether they actually took part in it or not,” Nikam told IANS.
He said that the Chicago court has found Rana and his associate David Coleman Headley guilty of hatching the criminal conspiracy with the LeT for committing certain criminal acts, which was the objective of the terror organisation.
“While the Chicago court has held Rana liable only in the criminal conspiracy for the attack on the Danish newspaper, how is it justified to exonerate him from the conspiracy in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack,” Nikam said, terming the verdict as “contradictory”.
On Thursday, Rana was cleared by a federal court in Chicago in the Nov 26-29, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack that claimed 166 lives, but was convicted of helping the Pakistan-based LeT.
He was also convicted for his role in a thwarted plot targeting a Danish newspaper that printed controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad sparking protests in the Muslim world.
- Terror plotter Rana seeks a fresh trial - Sep 21, 2011
- India 'disappointed' with Rana verdict (Lead) - Jun 10, 2011
- Rana cleared in Mumbai attack, held guilty of aiding terror groups (Lead) - Jun 10, 2011
- Rana's plea for fresh trial rejected - Jan 31, 2012
- Rana verdict not a setback: India - Jun 10, 2011
- Rana held not guilty in Mumbai attacks, guilty of aiding LeT (Third Lead) - Jun 10, 2011
- Convicted Tahawwur Rana loses retrial plea - Jun 12, 2012
- Rana praised LeT handler for 'brilliantly' done Mumbai attack: Headley (Lead) - May 26, 2011
- Rana acquitted for Mumbai, India disappointed (Intro Roundup) - Jun 10, 2011
- Rana 'not guilty' for Mumbai, India disappointed (Roundup) - Jun 10, 2011
- US charges 4 Pakistani terrorists in 26/11 Mumbai attack - Apr 26, 2011
- Rana cleared in Mumbai attacks, convicted of aiding LeT (Second Lead) - Jun 10, 2011
- Closing arguments Tuesday in Mumbai terror trial (Lead) - Jun 07, 2011
- Mumbai attack: US charges four top Pakistani terrorists (Lead) - Apr 26, 2011
- Pakistan's role in Mumbai attack may come out in Rana trial (Third Lead) - May 24, 2011
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