Headley gets conditional pardon from Indian court.
By Dileep Thekkethil
David Coleman Headley, the Pakistani American who plotted the 2008 Mumbai-terror attack, has been given approver status by a TADA court in India, on certain conditions.
Headley had earlier in the day today appeared before a TADA court via videoconference from an undisclosed location in the US, where he is currently serving a jail sentence of 30 years for his involvement in the Mumbai attacks. He read out a written statement where he expressed he was willing to answer questions if the court accepts him as an approver.
Headley said that he was convicted for similar charges and would provide answers to the questions regarding 26/11 Mumbai terror attack only if he is pardoned by the court in India.
After hearing the written statement read out by Headley, judge, G A Sanap adjourned the court for 30 minutes to scrutinize the statement.
Seeking the adjournment, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said it was necessary to consider Headley’s statement.
“Headley has proposed that he wants to become an approver provided he is given pardon. I have to discuss this issue with the investigating officers,†he said.
Another accused in the 26/11 attacks, Abu Jundal, was also produced in the court via video conference and his screen placed opposite to that of the one showing Headley. Headley appeared in the conference along with two of his lawyers.
After Judge Sanap read out the charges against him, Headley read out a written statement: “I have reviewed the charging documents filed against me in this court. It charges me with the same conduct for which I was charged in the United States. I have pleaded guilty in the past to the charges in the United States and I admitted I was a participant in the charges. I accepted responsibility for my role in those offences in my plea agreement. I also agreed to make myself available as a witness in this court. I appeared here ready to answer questions regarding these events if I receive a pardon from this court. That’s it. Thank you.â€
When the court reconvened, the judge granted pardon to Headley under the condition that he reveal more details regarding his role in the Mumbai terror attack and the involvement of others such as Hafiz Sayeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in masterminding the attack from Pakistan, as well as who else were involved in planning it.