My food is laced with drugs, reiterates Kasab

Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab has complained to the special court that jail authorities are giving him food laced with drugs as a result of which he feels 'giddy.'

The lone surviving 26/11 terrorist, however, was reprimanded by Judge M L Tahaliyani who asked him not to make such baseless allegations repeatedly.

Kasab had made this grievance a few days back also after media left the court after proceedings got over.

Kasab's lawyer K P Pawar confirmed that the accused had made this complaint but the court rejected his charge.

Earlier also, Kasab had alleged that the authorities were giving him food laced with drugs following which the judge sent a sample of food served to him to a forensic laboratory for tests which negated his claims.

Kasab also complained that the jail guards asked him to sing to pass their time, but claimed he did not oblige. The accused also alleged that the guards inquired from him whether he had a girlfriend, to which he replied that he studied in a boys' school.

In another development, an RTI inquiry has revealed that the Maharashtra government has spent Rs 5.24 crore for constructing a high-security cell for Kasab at the Arthur Road Central Jail to protect him from any attack.

The cell is reinforced with steel on the outer side to make it bullet and bomb proof. A tunnel has been constructed to allow him direct passage from his cell to the court.

This is the first instance of government spending such a huge sum to protect an accused. Kasab is guarded round-the-clock by about 200 Indo-Tibet Border Police personnel.

The trial is conducted amidst tight security with a strong posse of guards surrounding the Pakistani terrorist during the proceedings.