After having initially pleaded to face trial as a juvenile, arrested terror suspect Mohammed Ajmal Kasab surprised the special court conducting his trial by saying he was 21 years of age.

Kasab, when asked his age by the court, calmly said,"21."

Hearing this Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said, "The cat is out of the bag!"

Kasab responded with a smile saying, "Agar aapko mujhpe yakeen nahin hai toh main kya karoon?...Agar yakeen hota toh shayad hum yahaan nahin hote (If you don't believe me what can I do?..If you had believed me then I would not have been here facing trial)."

At this point, Special Judge M L Tahaliyani warned him only to address the court and no one else.

Kasab's lawyer had earlier claimed his client was a juvenile during the November 26 terror strikes. However, medical tests ordered by the court indicated that he was over 20 years old.

Attired in a purple shirt and track pant, Kasab, who has been in custody since his arrest on November 27, keenly listened as Judge Tahiliyani read out the charges against him.

When asked if he pleaded guilty to the charges, Kasab said,"Nahin. Yeh sab kuch galat hai, mujhe kuch gunaah kabool nahin hai. (No. All these charges are wrong. I do not accept responsibility for any of these crimes)"