Not confessing to escape death; hang me if you want: Kasab

Lone surviving 26/11 terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Kasab today told a special court that his decision to admit his guilt was not to seek mercy or escape death penalty.

Kasab told special judge M L Tahilyani that he had not made the confession seeking any mercy or to escape death penalty.

"Agar kisiko aitraaz hai...Agar kisi ke dil mein shak hai ki main phansi se bachne ke liye yeh kar raha hoon toh beshak phansi ki saza dijiye. (If anyone feels that I am confessing to escape the death penalty then the court may without doubt hang me)," Kasab said.

The prosecution had earlier sought the court to verify whether Kasab was aware of the consequences of his confession.

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Judge Tahilyani said the court had taken all precautions to ensure that the confession made was voluntary and without external influence.

The court also noticed that on July 20 Kasab had said, "Maine duniya mein yeh kiya hai toh saza bhi duniyawalon se hi milni chahiya. Khuda se nahi. (I have done this in the world so I should be punished by people and not God)."

Defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi alleged that Kasab was mentally tortured in the jail due to which he confessed.

The Pakistani gunman, however, disagreed with his counsel on torture charge and said, "Aisa koi masla nahi hai. (There is no such issue)."