The Maharashtra ATS should wait for its turn as Jundal's arrest was coordinated by the Delhi police, RAW and the Intelligence Bureau, says Vicky Nanjappa
Having sought the custody of alleged lashkar-e-Tayiba handler of 26/11 terrorists Abu Jundal from a Delhi court, Mumbai police are now gearing up to confront him with the lone surviving perpetrator of the brazen attacks Ajmal Kasab.
Describing it as "frivolous", the Bombay high court on Wednesday rejected a defence lawyer's petition seeking removal of Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor in the 26/11 attacks case.
This is how Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam responded to the confirmation of death sentence to Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by the Bombay high court.
"We have made remarkable progress since the trial began on April 15," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told PTI. About 35 witnesses, including ballistic experts and legal experts and chemical analysts are expected to depose before the court this month, Nikam said.
Terming Faheem Ansari as a co-conspirator in the 26/11 attacks, government counsel Ujjwal Nikam told the Bombay High Court that he had cheated the Pakistani government by procuring a passport in a fictitious name.
Describing Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed as "co-conspirators" in the 26/11 attacks, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Wednesday told the Bombay high court that the trial court had erred in acquitting the duo by giving them the benefit of doubt.
Pakistani gunman Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, lone captured accused in Mumbai terror attack case, laughed in a special court on Wednesday when he was shown his photos taken on November 26 by a photojournalist.
The prosecution, led by advocate Ujjwal Nikam, has concluded its arguments in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks trial case. The prosecution said accused Ajmal Kasab, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed should be held guilty of the Mumbai terror attacks.
A confession should be accepted in toto and not partially, Nikam told justices Ranjana Desai and R V More who are hearing arguments on confirmation of death sentence awarded to Kasab for his role in 26/11 attacks. "Kasab's confession was true and voluntary but its value did not deteriorate only because it was given in the magistrate's chamber and not in open court," he argued.
Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab and his companions were instructed by their Lashkar-e-Tayiba handlers on telephone to hold as many hostages as possible during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to demand from the Indian government the creation of a "separate state for Muslims".
Terming the 26/11 terror attack as one sponsored by the Pakistan government, the prosecution on Tuesday opened its final arguments in the case, alleging that the neighbouring country's army was also involved in the dastardly attack."The conspiracy of the 26/11 attack was hatched on Pakistani soil and the inevitable inference can be drawn that the attack was State-sponsored," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam argued.
The Maharashtra government has submitted a CD of CCTV footage showing Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab assaulting jail staff to the Bombay High Court.
Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Wednesday said that a Letters Rogatory shall be obtained from the special Mumbai court -- where the 26/11 terror attack trial is currently going on -- seeking information about Lashkar-e-Tayiba operatives David Headley and Tahawwur Rana and their involvement in the terror strike.Letters Rogatory is 'a customary method of obtaining judicial assistance from abroad in the absence of a treaty or executive agreement between two countries.
A Mumbai magistrate has issued a 'Letter Rogatory' seeking information from Italy about a father-son duo, arrested on charges of managing money transfer to finance telephone communications of the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
A Special Executive Officer (SEO) informed the trial court on Thursday, that in an identification parade conducted by him earlier this year, 28 witnesses had identified the bodies of terrorists killed by security forces during 26/11 terror attacks.
Maharashtra government has decided to continue with Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor in 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab's case which would soon come up before the Bombay high court for confirmation of the Pakistani national's death sentence.
Three US nationals are expected to give their testimony in the 26/11 terror attack case through videoconferencing while two Federal Bureau of Investigation officers are likely to appear in person before the special court in Mumbai on Wednesday.
The exercise of forwarding case papers and judgement of 26/11 special court to the Bombay High Court for confirmation of death penalty imposed on terrorist Ajmal Kasab would take at least three months, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.
Special Public Prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case Ujjwal Nikam on Thursday expressed happiness over awarding of death sentence to Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab for the carnage, saying the verdict has delivered justice to the families of the victims.
Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam handed over a sealed envelope to Judge M L Tahiliani during the ongoing trial into the Mumbai terror attacks. He sought the judge's permission to keep the identities of six FBI agents, who are likely to depose during the trial, a secret.
Government counsel Ujjwal Nikam, while giving details about the barbaric acts of Kasab and nine others who came from Pakistan to strike terror in Mumbai, said '26/11 attack was act of state-sponsored terrorism and was executed by Lashkar-e-Tayiba with the aid of security apparatus of that country'.
Ajmal Kasab, the Pakistani terrorist convicted for the 26/11 attack, told the Bombay high court on Wednesday that he had no objection to the state opening arguments on confirmation of death sentence awarded to him for his role in the carnage that killed 166 people.
Justices Ranjana Desai and R V More, while dismissing the plea, said they had viewed a CD of CCTV footage submitted by Government Counsel Ujjwal Nikam which showed Kasab attacking prison personnel on September 1 and also considered the past experiences of Kasab on his aggressive posture in jail.
It contained details from a telecom company on a threatening text message reportedly sent by his brother Pravin days before allegedly shooting him.
Special Judge M L Tahilyani, who is presiding over the 26/11 trial, on Thursday passed an order under Section 44 of the Indian Penal Code prohibiting the media -- print and electronic -- from reporting content that could lead to communal violence.
An eye witness in 26/11 terror attacks case identified four terrorists, who held some people hostages at the Taj Mahal Hotel, from close circuit television footage screened at the trial court.
A memorial for 26/11 braveheart Tukaram Ombale and other 26/11 martyrs will be unveiled on Monday at his hometown Bhuinj in Satara district of western Maharashtra.
"I am happy with the verdict of death being given to Kasab," said Eknath Omble, brother of assistant police sub-inspector Tukaram Omble, who died while trying to capture Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab, on the dreaded night of November 26, 2008.
Hailing the conviction of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab for the Mumbai terror attacks, Special Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Monday said the acquittal of two other accused in the case will be challenged in a higher court. "I am very happy (about the conviction of Kasab). But I regret the acquittal of two other accused Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed. The court has given them the benefit of doubt. We will challenge their acquittal," Nikam said.
A handwriting expert on Friday observed in a special court that markings shown on a map of 26/11 terror target spots recovered from slain terrorist Abu Ismail matched with specimen writings of accused Fahim Ansari, who is being tried along with Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab.
Also, there are many other important aspects of evidence, which the prosecution has to adduce to expose terrorist infrastructure of perpetrators of the crime, he said, adding they will not let Kasab succeed in his 'motive' of escaping with lesser punishment.
Kasab on Tuesday confessed before the court that he and his slain partner Abu Ismail were directed to start firing indiscriminately at CST, take hostages and attack those policemen who tried to rescue the hostages.
Pakistani gunman Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, lawyers and mediapersons burst into laughter when prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the special court conducting 26/11 terror trial that he was the lone surviving gunman's "enemy number one."
26/11 attacks prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam speaks about the unique trial of Ajmal Kasab and two other accused in the case.
A special court rejected the plea to make Pakistan-American terrorist David Headley a witness in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case on Monday after the prosecution argued that he is one of the accused and part of a module, which had filmed targets in the city.
The trial court hearing the 26/11 terror attack cases issued non-bailable warrants on Tuesday against 22 absconding accused, including Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafeez Saeed and head of operations of Lashkar-e-Toiba Zaki-ur-Rehman Laqvi.
Pakistani-American David Headley's confession in a US court about his involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks has strengthened the 26/11 case, currently being heard by a special judge in Mumbai, public prosecutor in the case Ujjwal Nikam said on Friday.
David Coleman Headley, who pleaded guilty before a United States court on Thursday night, cannot be impleaded in the 26/11 trial going on in Mumbai as it is nearing completion, but he can be put on trial in Pakistan, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said on Friday. However, he said, Pakistani-American Headley's admission of guilt before a US court has strengthened the Mumbai terror attacks case, which is being heard in a special court.
The police have sought permission from a special court to dispose of around 24 kg of RDX recovered from the 26/11 target terror target spots in Mumbai.
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