26/11 attacks: Pakistani lawyers cross examine doctors

The lawyers of the eight-member judicial commission from Pakistan on Tuesday cross-examined two doctors from governments hospitals here, who had conducted the post-mortems of terrorists killed in the 26/11 terror attacks here.

Shailesh Mohite from Nair Hospital and Ganesh Nithurkar from J.J. Hospital were called for cross-examination on Tuesday. Dr. Mohite had the conducted the post-mortem of Abu Ismail, who attacked the CST railway station with Ajmal Kasab, while autopsies of eight other terrorists were conducted by Dr. Nithurkar.

Advocate Ujjwal Nikam, who is representing the Government of India, told The Hindu that the prosecutor from Pakistan has submitted an application to the court, requesting an examination of the small boat that was used by the attackers to reach Mumbai. “The phones and GPS devices used by them will also be produced in front of the judicial commission on Wednesday,” said Mr. Nikam.

Apart from the devices, the commission will also cross-examine Ramesh Mahale, the investigating officer of the 26/11 case and Additional chief metropolitan magistrate R.V. Sawant-Waghule who recorded Kasab’s confessional statement, on Wednesday.

The judicial commission has visited India to take forward the prosecution of seven suspects, including Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who have been charged with planning, financing and executing the 26/11 attacks, which killed 166 people.

The earlier judicial commission had recorded the statements of the witnesses in March 2012. However, the Rawalpindi court rejected it on the grounds that a trial is incomplete without cross-examination.

The commission comprises four defence counsels, two public prosecutors and two officers from a court in Rawalpindi.

The visit to India had been delayed thrice in this month. On first two occasions the commission could not reach India as the scheduled flights were cancelled. The commission was then expected to visit the city on September 11, but it was informed to them that the courts will remain close due to Ganesh festival.