In a repeat of history in the 26/11 trial, the special sessions court on Monday revoked the appointment of Abbas Kazmi as advocate for Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab. Mr. Kazmi’s assistant K.P. Pawar was appointed to represent the lone surviving terrorist.
Mr. Kazmi’s insistence on hearing his application regarding the affidavits of witnesses led the court to revoke his appointment.
Of the 339 affidavits filed by prosecution, there are 71 affidavits of claimants of dead bodies.
Before admitting the affidavits, Mr. Kazmi had moved an application saying that the evidence was “not formal in nature” and “he opposed the prayer of prosecution for taking these affidavits on record as evidence.”
The order of special sessions judge M.L. Tahaliyani posed the query, “How could he decide if they are formal or otherwise without reading the same.”
On April 15, the court had revoked the appointment of advocate Anjali Waghmare as Kasab’s defence lawyer.