Kasab lawyer says want to withdraw from case;but will continue

Mumbai, July 23 (PTI) Days after the dramatic confession
by 26/11 attack accused Ajmal Kasab in court, his lawyer Abbas
Kazmi on Thursday sought to withdraw from the case, saying his
client did not have any confidence in him but changed his mind
after the judge asked him to clear any misunderstandings with
Kasab.

"Sir, I feel I should withdraw at this stage. He (Kasab)
does not take me into confidence and I will recuse myself,"
Kazmi told special judge M L Tahaliyani on Thursday soon after
the court said that it would be taking Kasab's admission of
guilt on record and the trial would continue.

The judge then explained to Kasab in Hindi that his
lawyer has gained an impression that he had no confidence in
him and hence wants to withdraw.

"Maine aise kuch nahin kaha hai (I have not said anything
like that)," Kasab said.

Following this the court directed Kasab to speak with his
lawyer and clear any misunderstandings between them.

"I have appointed you as Kasab's lawyer and will not
easily allow you to take this extreme step. I will give one
chance for Kasab to talk to you and clear all doubts in your
mind," Tahaliyani told Kazmi.

Kazmi had been appointed by the court to represent Kasab
after it could not find a lawyer in the state legal aid cell.

"The matter is now settled. Kazmi will continue to
represent Kasab," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told
PTI.

The special public prosecutor said that with the court
accepting Kasab's guilt plea on record today, his lawyer could
have felt frustrated and so thought about retiring from the
case.

Kazmi, who did not leave the court premises in the high
security Arthur Road jail in central Mumbai after proceedings
began this morning, was unavailable for comment.

The prosecutor said that the defence advocate's claim
that his client had not consulted with him prior to his
dramatic admission of guilt before the court was incorrect.

"Before admitting his guilt Kasab had sought to consult
with his lawyer and only after that had admitted his guilt,"
Nikam said.

Kazmi could have sought time from the court to consult
with his client to confer with him but did not do so, he said,
adding the defence counsel had withdrawn only after the
court's order on taking Kasab's admission of guilt on record.
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