How Ujjwal Nikam Planted the Ajmal Kasab 'Mutton Biryani' Story to Counter Media's Emotional Narrative of the LeT Terrorist

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THE 26/11 MUMBAI TERRORIST ATTACK is remembered as one of the darkest days in India's history, after members of Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out a series of attacks in Mumbai, Maharashtra, resulting in more than 170 deaths. Eighteen years after the attack, prominent public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who is known for his work in several murder and terrorism-related cases, shared some gory details about 26/11 and Ajmal Kasab, a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba who killed several people during the attacks. 

In one of the latest episodes of The Lallantop’s Guest in the Newsroom, Ujjwal Nikam engaged in a deep conversation about 26/11, the media, and Ajmal Kasab. It was Nikam who helped prosecute Kasab, resulting in his execution by hanging on November 21, 2012. By 2010, Ajmal Kasab was found guilty of several charges, including murder and waging war against India, among others.
See Also: One Year of Operation Sindoor: How India Redefined Its Anti-Terror Doctrine After Pahalgam Attack

Ujjwal Nikam and Ajmal Kasab’s interaction stories

Ujjwal Nikam told the host that his work began after the chargesheet was filed in the 26/11 case. Referring to Ajmal Kasab as an “intelligent man”, he added that Kasab was well aware of the fact that Nikam was in a position of power, as the police officers were saluting him and he was wearing a black coat. “Usko yeh pata chal raha hoga ki yeh prosecuting wala hoga kyunki mera kaala coat tha (He must have realized that I was the prosecutor because I was wearing a black coat),” said Nikam.

He shared one of his habits with the host, explaining how he always talks to criminals, and he did the same with Kasab. He went towards him and asked, “Kya hua, Kasab? Kaisa lag raha hai? (What happened, Kasab? How do you feel?”0 Even though Kasab did not reply to Nikam, he shared that Kasab used to refer to him as the “badshah (Emperor).” 

He also shared how, once, Kasab asked Nikam for a cigarette at the court, but the latter offered him a deal—a cigarette in exchange for secret information that no one knew. At that point, Kasab told Nikam that they were also going to carry out attacks at Regal Cinema. This information was not mentioned in any police records. Nikam later clarified that he never handed Kasab the cigarette.

The Truth Behind the Ajmal Kasab Biryani in Jail Story 

During the Lallantop episode, Nikam described Kasab as a cunning man who knew how to put on an act in front of people. “Chehra innocent rakhta tha... Usko bohat achhe se pata tha ki media hai (He used to make innocent faces and knew that the media is present), and the media is paying more attention to him. Yeh bhi usko pata tha (He also knew this),” stated Ujjwal Nikam. 

He also addressed the controversial biryani story involving Ajmal Kasab that became a headline at the time. Nikam noted, “Aap media ke log bhi kaafi chattur hain (You people in the media are quite clever as well)”. The host broke out laughing, and Nikam added that it was indeed a compliment before going on to narrate what really happened.

see Also: Fake Visuals, Defamed Civilians, and Fabricated Wars: How Indian Mainstream Media Failed During Operation Sindoor

He said he used to visit his hometown in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, every Saturday and Sunday. He returned to Mumbai on Monday, a norm he continued for years. One time, he returned wearing a red thread after celebrating Raksha Bandhan with his sister.

Seeing the red thread, Kasab asked Nikam about it, to which he replied, “Tera bhagya kahan hai? Yeh behen baandhti hai. Tu toh faansi pe jaane wala hai. Teri behen toh ro rahi hogi (Where is your good fortune? This thread is tied by a sister. You are going to be hanged anyway. Your sister must be crying.)” said Nikam.

A judge entered their conversation, and Nikam was telling the judge about it. Kasab turned his head downwards and started rubbing his eyes with his hands. Nikam told the host, “Your media people thought Kasab ko behen ki yaad aa gayi, aur isiliye media ne bahar jaakar breaking news ki ki Kasab ko behen ki yaad aa gayi. Isiliye Kasab ki aankhon mein aansoo the (Your media people thought that Kasab was remembering his sister. So, the media went outside and ran breaking news that Kasab was missing his sister and that was why there were tears in his eyes).” 

Thus began the discussion on channels running an emotional narrative on TV, where Kasab was showcased as a young man who had been brainwashed, who was remembering his sister, and who was innocent. Calling out the narrative, Nikam said he was bombarded with questions such as, “Is this the defeat of the government?” and, “When will the real culprit be punished?”

He looked at all the media people and stated, “Kasab ne mutton biryani ki maang ki (Kasab has demanded for a Mutton Biryani to eat),” turning the situation around, with media channels following the mutton biryani story. He shared that he had planted the mutton biryani story for the media to latch onto. The biryani story became national news at the time.

The story of Nikam has been adapted into a film titled Prahaar – The Ujjwal Nikam Story, directed by Avinash Arun and starring actor Rajkummar Rao. The film will hit theatres on August 7, 2026.

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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