26/11 attack: Kasab takes different stand

Prime accused and lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, on Monday departed from his earlier stand, saying he could not understand the proceedings of the court conducted in English. "Except for words ... Kasab and Pakistan .... I cannot understand what the prosecutor is telling the court," accused Kasab told Judge M L Tahilyani. Twice earlier, Kasab had told the court that he could follow the proceedings and also that he could understand English. But, on Monday, he took a different stand. When Kasab was produced before the court, he looked dull and sat with folded hands without displaying any feelings or emotions. This prompted the judge to have a dialogue with him. Judge : "Tumhari problem kya hai?" (what is your problem?) Kasab : "Meri problem yeh hai ki kuch bhi samajhnmein nahin aata" (My problem is that I cannot understand anything) Judge : Kyun? (Why?) Kasab : Sirf Kasab aur Pakistan Yehi hi sunayi deta hai (I can hear only Kasab and Pakistan, the rest I cannot follow) Hindi mein ho jai to acha hoga (it will be fine if proceedings are conducted in Hindi). Judge : Tumhari Tabhiyat to thik hai? (Are you all right?) At this juncture Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam intervened to say Kasab was all right and appeared to be fine. Nikam then continued with his submissions. Prosecution submits charges against Kasab, 2 others The prosecution on Monday submitted a draft of 312 charges it proposes to be framed against Pakistan national Mohammmed Ajmal Amir Kasab and two Indians, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, facing trial for gunning down 166 persons and injuring another 238 in the terror strike in Mumbai. Thirty five accused are shown as wanted in the 166-page document of draft charges, submitted by special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam to the court. Those wanted include Hafeez Mohammed Saeed, chief of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT), Zaki-Ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Abu Hamza. The accused have been charged under the provisions of IPC, Arms Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosives Act, Explosives Substances Act, Passport (entry into India) Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Railways Act, Customs Act and Foreigners Act. Prosecutor Nikam said Kasab, Ansari and Sabauddin were charged with murder of 166 persons and injuring 238. Under IPC, they were charged with waging war against India, conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder, causing grievous injuries, wrongful confinement, wrongful restraint and causing mischief by fire. While Kasab and nine others committed terrorist acts by gunning down people at various places in Mumbai, Ansari and Sabauddin had prepared maps and handed them over to the LeT in Pakistan following a conspiracy hatched between December 2007 and November 2008.

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