26/11 trial court rejects Faheem's bail plea

The trial court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of 26/11 terror attack accused Faheem Ansari saying that the grounds on which the bail has been sought are baseless. Ansari, had appealed for bail on Saturday, stating that the death of his advocate Shahid Azmi has left him without a lawyer.

In his bail plea, Faheem sought his release on the ground that he needs to look for a lawyer as none were ready to take up his case. Ansari's lawyer Shahid Azmi was shot dead by three assailants. Ansari in his bail plea alleged that crime branch officials were responsible for the death of his lawyer as they had previously threatened Azmi to withdraw from the case.

"No one

is ready to take up my case as my lawyer Azmi was shot dead," he said. Ansari claimed that he was falsely implicated in the case and that it was David Coleman Headley, who guided the tourists with maps and sketches and not him as alleged by the prosecution. Opposing Ansari's bail plea, Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam stated that the maps recovered from slain terrorist Abu Ismail was prepared by Faheem.

"The Lucknow police in whose custody Faheem was prior to the 26/11 attack had also recovered a similar map from him, Nikam claimed, adding if Faheem was released on bail he would flee. The bail was rejected after Special Judge M L Tahiliyani found the allegations to be baseless.