Remorseless Kasab always ready to confess,inspire others: magistrate

Waghule said she had followed all procedures before recording the 40-page statement in which Kasab narrated the entire story from his days in Pakistan till he was arrested at Girgaum Chowpatty by the D B Marg police.

Waghule,who had recorded a confessional statement for the first time in her 19-year legal career,said,“For extra precaution,as it was a sensitive case,I took the thumb impression of the accused along with his signature,which is a rare practice in recording a statement.”

During the cross-examination,defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi pointed out several Urdu words mentioned in the statement for which no explanation had been sought. Waghule replied that she understood the mix of Urdu and Hindi spoken by Kasab and had,therefore,not sought clarifications from him.

Defence lawyer Shahid Azmi pointed out that the judicial officer had not followed the rule of informing Kasab about his “right to silence” and right to Pakistani Consular access before recording his statement. The defence also suggested that Kasab was given sedatives and drugs by the police before the confessional statement was taken. Waghule denied the allegation.

She was the 218th witnesses to be examined in the trial so far.