Dubai: Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan reacted strongly after Nikam recalled details of his interactions with Kasab during the trial following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Nikam was a guest on the 18th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati, hosted by Bachchan, alongside actors Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi. During the episode, the discussion turned to the Mumbai attacks and the subsequent legal proceedings against Kasab, the lone surviving gunman captured during the assault.
Bachchan asked Nikam why it had taken several years for Kasab to be executed after being sentenced to death.
Nikam then recalled his first encounter with Kasab in court. He said Kasab initially gave investigators and the court different accounts about his identity, age and reasons for coming to Mumbai.
According to Nikam, Kasab claimed he had travelled to Mumbai because he was a fan of Hindi films and wanted to visit Bachchan’s home.
Bachchan reacts to Kasab claim
Reacting to the revelation, Bachchan said he would have shot Kasab had he known the gunman was coming to meet him.
Nikam also recalled that Kasab initially claimed he had been arrested on November 6, rather than during the November 26 attacks. He allegedly told authorities that India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), had arrested him.
The prosecutor said Kasab later claimed to be a minor and argued that juvenile justice laws should apply to him. Tests, including a bone-density examination, were subsequently conducted to establish his age.
Nikam recalls Kasab’s other claims
Nikam also recalled another incident during the trial in which Kasab claimed he was being poisoned. According to Nikam, the substance involved was rice powder, which was sent to a laboratory for examination.
Kasab was eventually convicted and sentenced to death for his role in the attacks. During proceedings before the Bombay High Court, he appeared through video conferencing and, according to Nikam, spat towards the camera.
Nikam said Kasab later showed signs of remorse towards the end of the proceedings, describing the change as one of the significant developments he witnessed during the trial.
The special Kaun Banega Crorepati 18 episode featuring Bachchan, Nikam, Rao and Gabbi aired on September 25. The trio won Rs12.5 lakh during the episode, with the prize money donated to Manobal, a Jalgaon-based organisation working with visually impaired children.
The episode also featured discussions about Nikam’s career and his experiences prosecuting high-profile criminal cases, ahead of the release of Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam.
