Court Exposed Kasab's False Age Claim in 26/11 Trial

Shortly after the trial of 26/11 gunman Ajmal Kasab commenced in April 2009, his defence counsel Abbas Kazmi submitted an application to the court arguing that his client was underage during the November 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai. Based on this contention, the defence sought to have the case transferred to a juvenile justice court, which would have significantly altered the legal proceedings and potential sentencing.

The claim that Kasab was a minor at the time of the attacks formed a critical component of the defence strategy. Under Indian juvenile justice laws, offenders below 18 years of age are treated differently in the criminal justice system, with different procedures and sentencing provisions.

However, forensic expert and senior police official Ujjwal Nikam, who was instrumental in investigating the 26/11 attacks, systematically dismantled the defence's claims through documentary and scientific evidence presented before the court. Nikam's findings contradicted the assertion that Kasab was underage, establishing his actual age at the time of the attacks.

The court accepted the evidence and rejected the defence's application to transfer the case to juvenile court. Kasab was subsequently tried as an adult and convicted of his role in the terror attacks that claimed 166 lives across Mumbai.