Trial in Mumbai terror attack case to begin on April 15

Mumbai, Apr 6 (PTI) Asking the prosecution and defence
lawyers to get ready, a sessions court Monday said that the
trial in Mumbai terror attack case would commence from April
15 in the high security special court at Arthur Road central
jail here.

Until then, Judge M L Tahilyani extended the custody of
Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab and two other accused who appeared
before him through video conferencing.

The judge told special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam
to deliver his opening address in the court on April 15 for
explaining the charges levelled against Kasab and other
accused, Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed.

Ansari, who appeared first on television, told the
court that he was threatened by police in jail to change his
lawyer and instead hire someone from state legal aid to defend
him.

He alleged that police had threatened to book him in
hawala case if he refused to toe the line.

Ansari sought a month's time from the court to decide
on his lawyer.

"The police have even gone to my house and threatened
my wife. She will inform you, Sir, in the court," Ansari said.

His wife, clad in burkha, was present during the hearing
and the judge told her that she would be heard in camera. He
then asked media persons to leave the court.

Later, Nikam told reporters that Ansari's allegations
were baseless and was merely seeking to prolong the trial.

Nikam said Ansari's lawyer Ejaz Naqvi had refused to
accept chargesheet from his client and also Ansari had sought
a month's time to engage another lawyer.

These two instances were a pointer that Ansari wanted
to prolong the trial and was therefore making baseless
allegations against police, he said.

In another development, the court rejected an application
of an intervenor, Ishwar Khandelwal, who urged the court to
allow him to conduct the prosecution of Kasab in public
interest.

The judge said his application was devoid of merits.

However, the court did not pass order on an application
moved by advocate Kai Lam questioning the appointment of
Anjali Waghmare as Kasab's defence lawyer.

Lam said Waghmare was advocate for Kasab and for a
victim in the same case as well and it would not be proper on
her part to appear for both.

However, Waghmare made a statement that she had not
signed 'vakalatnama' for any victim in this case and assured
that she would not appear in the court for any witness.

The court said it would pass appropriate order on Lam's
application on the next date.

After Ansari and Saubuddin, Kasab, wearing a dark blue
T-shirt, appeared on television before the judge. He was
smiling and wore a confident look.

Kasab told the court that he understood English after
judge Tahilyani finished his conversation with jailor Swati
Sathe.

The judge asked Kasab whether he understood his talk
with the jailor in English. Kasab replied in Hindi "Ji Haan".

The court asked Kasab why he needed copy of chargesheet
in Urdu when he understood English, to which he replied, "I
would understand it better".

Kasab was seated on a chair and the jailor and two
constables stood behind him. He then said "Inshallah" and
moved out after the video conference concluded.

The judge passed an order directing Sathe to allow
defence lawyer Ejaz Naqvi meet accused Fahim Ansari and
Saubuddin for 30 minutes on any day, within a week, at any
time convenient to both.

Outside the court, Nikam told reporters that there was
substantial evidence not only against Kasab and the other two
accused, but also against all the wanted accused who were
suspected to be members of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

He said the trial will be conducted on a day-to-day basis
and is likely to conclude within a week.