Judge debars Anjali Waghmare from defending Kasab

The keenly awaited trial of Ajmal Kasab, sole surviving terrorist involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, was facing a further delay with the judge of the special court, M L Tahiliani, finding a conflict of interest in Anjali Waghmare defending Kasab.

Judge Tahiliani debarred Anjali since she had accepted the legal brief of Harishchandra Shrivardhankar, a surviving witness in the Cama Hospital attack on the night of November 26, 2008.

The court, set up to try Kasab and two other arrested accused in the Mumbai attacks case, is now consulting the prosecution regarding appointment of a new lawyer for Kasab.
    
Advocate K Lam, who had earlier expressed the desire to defend Kasab, had petitioned the court last week, saying
that Waghmare should not appear in this case, as she was representing one of the victims of the 26/11 attacks in a
compensation claim.
    
The court said Waghmare should have informed the court about this when she was appointed as Kasab's lawyer, and
removed her as his counsel.