How Kasab is preparing his defence in jail

As the deadline for filing an appeal in the Bombay high court draws to a close, Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab, sentenced to death for his role in the 26/11 terror attacks, is busy jotting down notes in the Arthur Road Central jail to help his lawyers in preparing his defence.

Kasab's lawyers Amin Solkar and Farhana Shah met him recently in prison to ask him whether he had anything to say as they were drafting an appeal to be filed in the high court next week.

"Kasab told us that he needed a pen and some papers to note down certain points which he had come across during the trial. We forwarded his request to prison authorities who have now provided him with the stationery," said Shah.

"Kasab also told us that he had full faith in both of us and that he would accept whatever legal advise we gave him," Shah said.

"We are currently going through the 1,500-page judgment and the chargesheet supplied to us. The appeal is being prepared and will be filed shortly," Shah said.

The high court has posted the matter of confirmation of death sentence imposed on Kasab to August 12 and also asked the defence lawyers and the state government to expedite filing appeals against the verdict of the lower court.

The state government had told the high court on August 2 that their appeal against the acquittal of the two accused, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, would be filed within  a few days, while Kasab's lawyer Shah had asked for two months time. Keeping the matter on August 12 for directions, the high court told defence lawyers that they should expedite the filing of the appeal.

Kasab has been kept in solitary confinement of the central prison in a bullet and bomb proof cell which is heavily guarded by the Indo-Tibetan Border Security personnel.

A special court had sentenced him to death on May 6 for killing 166 people along with nine others in terror attacks at various places in Mumbai at the instance of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

While Kasab was captured alive, his accomplices were killed in firing by Indian security forces. His co-accused Faheem and Sabauddin were acquitted as the court gave them the benefit of doubt, saying the evidence against them was 'doubtful'.