Mumbai: Maharashtra Home Minister R R
Patil on Wednesday said that the state government has requested
Centre to waive off a Rs 19.28 crore bill sent to it by the
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) towards reimbursing expenses
on guarding 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab, lodged in the Arthur
Road jail here.
"What Kasab and his associates did is an attack not
only on Mumbai but an attack on India and it is unfair to ask
the state government alone to bear the burden," Patil told the
Legislative Council.
He was replying to a query raised by Shiv Sena member
Ramdas Kadam during a calling attention.
The Home Minister said that the state government has
been paying towards food and medical care of Kasab, besides on
the salaries of the policemen guarding him.
"Rs 5.25 crore was spent on the fullproof jail
structure where the Pakistani terrorist is lodged. Apart from
it, the government has spent Rs 34,975 on food, Rs 28,066 on
medical facility, Rs 1.22 crore on the salary disbursed to the
policemen guarding the jail where Kasab is kept," Patil said.
The ITPB was deployed in the jail in the run-up to the
26/11 trial, held in a special sessions court set up in the
jail premises.
In 2010, the home department sought an extension for
the deployment of the ITBP which comprised around 200
commandos, armed with sophisticated weaponry and communication
equipment, guarding Kasab 24x7.
PTI
