Qasab to appear before court for the first time on April 15

Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, the lone arrested terrorist of the 26/11 terror attacks in the city, will appear in person for the first time on April 15 before the special court housed at the high-security Arthur Road jail. Earlier, he had been produced before the court on television through video conferencing.

The police have provided a thick security cover in and around the jail, regulated vehicular traffic and restricted movement of people in bylanes near the prison. Judge M L Tahilyani had, on the last occasion, ordered that the proceedings would begin in his court on April 15. He had also directed the prosecution and defence lawyers to come prepared for the trial on that day.

The trial, which was expected to commence early this month, had been delayed because of re-construction of the special court in the jail. The work has now been almost completed, police sources said. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam is expected to deliver his opening address on the same day to establish the involvement of Qasab and other LeT suspects who unleashed terror in Mumbai by firing indiscriminately at public places killing more than 160 persons.

Prosecutor Nikam is also likely to table crucial evidence against Qasab, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, facing the trial as well as against those who have been arrested in Pakistan by the local police there. While filing the chargesheet on February 25, Nikam had told the court that further investigation in this case was on. In view of this statement, everyone in legal circles is waiting to hear when the supplementary chargesheet would be filed.

"I am ready for the trial. My aim is to conclude the trial within the shortest possible time," Nikam said. The trial is expected go on at least for six months on a day-to-day basis, Nikam said. More than 2,000 witnesses have been cited but the prosecution has not announced how many would be examined.

Qasab and others are facing charges of waging war against the nation, murder and attempt to murder, besides conspiracy to commit terror acts by firing at people in public places and killing more than 160. Ansari and Sabauddin are charged with doing a recce of Taj Mahal and Trident hotels and CST railway station. They had allegedly prepared maps and gave them over to LeT.u00a0