Advocate K.P. Pawar, appointed to defend Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab in the 26/11 terror attacks case, on Friday declined to cross-examine 22 witnesses, including three policemen, who were part of the anti-terror operation at the Cama hospital.
Out of the 26 witnesses, Mr. Pawar examined only four witnesses and declined to cross-examine others, including Sachin Tilekar, Mohan Shinde and Vijay Pawar who were part of the team, led by Additional Police Commissioner Sadanand Date, which was involved in a gun battle with Kasab and slain terrorist Abu Ismail on the sixth floor of the Cama hospital.
The prosecution had last week submitted the affidavits of 340 witnesses as they were formal in nature and the defence had picked 91 witnesses for cross-examination.
After examining 22 witnesses on Thursday, Mr. Pawar told the court that he does not want to cross-examine the remaining witnesses.
Judge M.L. Tahilyani, however, said the witnesses would be summoned to court and Mr. Pawar could decline to examine them then.
The witnesses examined by Mr. Pawar on Friday included three injured persons.
The inquest witness, Shamsuddin Sayed had conducted the panchnama of the body of ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who was shot dead outside the hospital.
