Waghmare removed as Kasab's lawyer

Mumbai, April 15 (PTI) In a dramatic turn of events in
the Mumbai terror attack case, a special court Wednesday
removed Anjali Waghmare as defence lawyer for lone surviving
gunman Mohammed Amir Ajmal Kasab on a complaint of
professional misconduct, prompting him to demand a lawyer from
Pakistan.

However, Judge M L Tahilyani told 21-year-old Kasab,
who appeared for the first time in person amidst unprecedented
security in the makeshift court on the Arthur Road jail
premises since his arrest on November 26 last year, that the
court would not wait for a response from Pakistan and would
proceed to appoint a lawyer tomorrow.

As the case came up before the special court, the
judge directed that Waghmare will not represent Kasab as she
had not disclosed to the court that she had already been
appointed by Bombay High Court legal aid cell to appear in the
same case for a witness who was allegedly injured in the
attack at Cama Hospital.

Kasab was told that his earlier request for a
Pakistani lawyer had been already conveyed to Pakistan
authorities which had not responded so far.

However, Kasab insisted that the request be made again
after which special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam assured
that it will be conveyed through diplomatic channels.

The court said it would send a message to Bar
Association seeking their help for appointing a lawyer to
defend Kasab and the fees for the same would be borne by the
government.

But it made it clear that the lawyer would not be from
the legal aid panel.

"Appearing for witness and accused in the same case
will not be proper. Obviously, the interests of witness and
accused would clash with each other. I feel there was enough
opportunity available to Waghmare to disclose that she was
appearing for witness but she did not inform", the judge said.

However, the judge retained lawyer K P Pawar who was
also appointed along with Waghmare to defend Kasab. "You will
continue", he told Pawar.

Waghmare's appointment had been challenged in a
petition filed by a lawyer K B M Lam who contended that she
could not appear for a witness and an accused in the same
case.

Lam could not enter the court as he had not secured an
entry pass from police.

Dressed in a dark grey T-shirt and a sports track
pant, Kasab, who has grown a beard, was smiling throughout the
court proceedings and appeared at ease. He was seen nodding
his head every time the lawyers made their submission.

He sought newspapers to read in his cell but the court
said it would decide on it later.

The judge said he was keen to appoint a lawyer for Kasab
tomorrow and asked Prosecutor Nikam to be ready for delivering
opening address on Friday.

Earlier, Kasab appeared in the court at 11.30 AM
followed by other accused, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed.

Faheem sough a month's time to change his lawyer Ejaz
Naqvi but the court did not agree, saying he could do that
later. His wife had come to the court clad in a burqa.

At one point, the judge told Kasab not to talk to
Faheem without the court's permission.

A thick blanket of security was thrown around the
Arthur Road jail which houses the special court. Close to 300
police personnel were deployed on the roads leading to the
court and traffic was also diverted.

Indo Tibetan Border Police personnel, who are also
involved in guarding Kasab, were seen patrolling the roads
outside the jail.

The court barred media from publishing graphics or
details about the security arrangements in the jail and court.
PTI AG
SAK