Lakhvi's release a setback to fight against terror, says Ujjwal Nikam - Times of India

MUMBAI: The fourth and final order of freedom for Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, main brain according to India of the terror attack on Mumbai in 2008, drastically weakens the terror trial in Pakistan said special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam reacting sharply to his release.

"The Pakistani investigating and prosecuting agency wanted to protect Hafeez Sayeed and Lakhvi all along, it is clear. Lakhvi's release will sabotage the ongoing trial against co-conspirators,'' said Nikam, adding that the US government must be asked to step in and take immediate corrective steps as the release was a boost to the morale of terror groups and hubs.

The Lahore high court on Thursday dismissed an order of detention which it found was on unsustainable grounds. Nikam said the Lahor HC cannot be faulted because the authorities who passed the detention order had passed it on flimsy grounds of his being required in other cases after his earlier bail order last December. Lakhvi, 55, is the main perpetrator who hatched the criminal conspiracy more than a year before the actual attack on November 26, 2008, said Nikam "The conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan and his release now comes as a total betrayal by the Pakistan government.''

"The terror plot was hatched between Lakhvi and others and the attack was a result of that conspiracy, yet the Pakistan government never charged Lakhvi with the charge of criminal conspiracy to kill 166 innocent persons who lost their lives during the three-day terror siege,''said Nikam.

It was for Pakistan to find out evidence on their soil and produce it in court which they did not and instead they kept blaming India for not providing it with evidence. Are we supposed to investigate on their land? In any case, their commission had come to Mumbai and cross-examined witnesses, including key witnesses here and they did so only because it was admissible as evidence in Pakistan under their law,'' said Nikam saying the Pakistan double standards stands exposed. "They wanted to show the whole world that they took the fight against terror seriously, But, they issued a weak detention order against Lakhvi which the Lahore HC has exposed.

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