Special court to be set up for Kasab's trial

The Bombay High Court has issued a notification directing the immediate constitution of a special court in the Arthur Road jail premises in Mumbai, to conduct the trial against Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone arrested terrorist in the November 26 terror attacks.

The notification issued by the registrar general of the High Court on Wednesday has been sent to the principal judge of the sessions court, T V Nalavade, city Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor and Judge M L Tahiliani, who has been appointed to conduct the trial in the terror attack case, official sources said.

The notification was issued following a letter sent by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria nearly two weeks ago, requesting for the set up of the special court.

According to sources, the letter sent by Maria said that since the case is 'sensitive' and considering intelligence inputs received regarding threats to Kasab from the underworld, the trial cannot be conducted in a regular court.

The special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities court in the Arthur Road jail premises, which is presently conducting the trial against extradited gangster Abu Salem, will be shifted to the sessions court in south Mumbai, the notification states.

The Mumbai Crime Branch is likely to file its chargesheet in the case on February 24, sources said.

Special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam and Maria, in a meeting held on Wednesday, gave final touches to the chargesheet.

Over 160 people were killed and around 300 others injured in the attacks on November 26 last year by ten terrorists at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Hotels Taj and Trident and Nariman House.

Nine of the ten terrorists, allegedly belonging to the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tayiba, were killed in the stand-off with security forces.

Kasab is presently in the custody of the crime branch.