Map used by terrorists shows Malabar Hill was target

Mumbai, May 18 (PTI) A hand-drawn map, showing Malabar
Hill area in South Mumbai as one of the targets of LeT
militants for terror attacks on November 26 last year, was
Monday identified in the court by a witness who said this
document was recovered from a slain terrorist.

The official residences of most Maharashtra ministers,
including Chief Minister, Raj Bhavan and other top officials
of the state secretariat are located in Malabar hill.

It is the case of the prosecution that two terrorists,
Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab and Abu Ismael were proceeding in a
Skoda car towards Malabar hill but were stopped by police at
Chowpatty. While Ismael was killed, Kasab was captured alive.

The prosecution has also alleged that the map was drawn
in English by co-accused Faheem Ansari and handed over to LeT
conspirators in Pakistan by another accused, Sabauddin Ahmed.
Both of them are facing trial along with Kasab.

When the map was placed in the court by special public
prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, the witness, Shivaji Shivekar, said
it (the map) was recovered by police in his presence from the
clothes of slain terrorist Abu Ismael.
Asked how he could say that this was the same map
which was recovered from the terrorist's trousers, the witness
told the Judge M L Tahaliyani he had signed it on the reverse.

Shivekar, who had drawn the panchnama of the map, is the
first witness in this case to depose against Faheem. The
earlier witnesses have tendered evidence against Kasab only.

The witness also identified Kasab in the court, saying an
identity card was recovered from his (Kasab's) clothes. The
I-card carried Kasab's photograph and was issued by a
Bangalore college in the name of Samir Chowdhary.

Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam alleged that the terrorists had
made fake I-cards to hide their Pakistani identity.

The witness also identified Kasab's clothes and said that
Rs 5,400 was recovered from his trouser.

At this juncture, defence witness urged the court to
allow this money to be deposited in Kasab's jail account.

However, judge M L Tahaliyani, said he would not pass an
order because the money was the property seized in the case
and tabled as "mudemal" (seized goods) before the court.

The witness further said that another Identity card,
bearing slain terrorist Abu Ismael's photograph, was found
from the latter's trousers and he drew a 'panchnama' of the
I-card.

The witness identified the photo of Ismael saying he is
the same person whose body he had identified in Nair hospital
on November 27 last year.

The witness also identified blue trousers and grey
coloured T-shirt of Ismael which was shown to him when the
'panchnama' was drawn.

The clothes were stained with blood and had holes
(indicating that bullets had passed through Ismael's body).
PTI SVS