On a day full of drama, Mohd Ajmal Amir Kasab's lawyer decided to withdraw from the 26/11 terror attack case but later retracted even as the special court ordered on Thursday that the trial of the Pakistani gunman will continue.

Kasab's lawyer Abbas Kazmi told the court that he would like to pull out of the case as his client has lost confidence in him but later said he will continue to represent him.

Special Judge M L Tahilyani, hearing the case in the high security Arthur Road jail in central Mumbai, said the trial will continue as Kasab has confessed to the basic offence but not pleaded guilty to 86 charges slapped on him.

The judge told 22-year-old Kasab, "Aap ke khilaaf 86 charges frame kiye the. Apne sab nahin kabool kiye hain, lekin gunaah kabool kiya hai. Isiliye court ne decision liya hai ki yeh case chalega. (There were 86 charges framed against you. You have not pleaded guilty to all of them. You have confessed only to the basic offence. That is why the court has taken the decision to continue with the trial)."

To this, Kasab just said "theek hai (okay)”. Taking everyone by surprise, Kasab had on Monday pleaded guilty to his involvement in the attacks at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and other locations.

The terror strikes by Kasab and nine others in Mumbai had left 183 dead. In his order, the judge said the court has come to a conclusion that Kasab's statement should be taken on record and considered at an appropriate stage as evidence.

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