Ujjwal Nikam Says 26/11 Conspirators Still Sheltered In Pakistan

Noted lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam has said that although India has delivered justice “to some extent” in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the masterminds behind the plot continue to evade accountability in Pakistan.

Speaking to PTI Videos on Monday, a day before the 17th anniversary of the attacks, Nikam criticised Pakistan for continuing to put up “pretences”, pointing out that although authorities there claim to have arrested “eight or nine persons”, the progress or status of those trials remains entirely unclear.

Referring to the success of Operation Sindoor, India’s military response following the Pahalgam terror attack, Nikam stressed that figures such as Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, whom he described as having orchestrated the “entire conspiracy with help from ISI,” must also be held accountable under the law.

The 26/11 assault left 166 people dead and over 300 injured, after 10 Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists infiltrated Mumbai by sea and launched coordinated strikes across key locations including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident, CST railway station, and Nariman House.

Nikam, who served as the special public prosecutor during the trial of Ajmal Kasab, the only gunman captured alive and later executed, reflected on the lingering question of justice.

“There is a question in the minds of every Indian about whether the families who lost their loved ones in the 26/11 terrorist attack received full justice? I would say we have provided justice to some extent, with Kasab being sentenced to death through the legal process. But those who conspired in this attack are still hiding in Pakistan,” he said.

He further remarked, “Pakistan is still making pretences. They have arrested eight or nine persons, but no one knows about the status of their trials.”

Nikam noted that despite significant improvements in Mumbai’s security infrastructure since 2008, the recent blast in Delhi is a worrying sign.

He expressed concern over rising internal vulnerabilities, stating “This makes me wonder where our education system is taking us. Pakistan wants to create divisions and conflicts within us. Therefore, from the recent Delhi incident, we should understand that the people of this country must kindle one feeling...that we are all Indians.”

He added that India’s social fabric, built on coexistence among various castes and religious communities, is being undermined by disruptive forces.

“We are Indians, regardless of how educated you are or on what basis you judge. The education and atmosphere of this country are such that different castes and religious communities live together. But some forces, including Pakistan, are spoiling that peace. So we must think deeply about this,” he said.

The remarks come in the wake of the November 10 high-intensity explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which claimed 15 lives and injured several others.

With PTI inputs