Ujjwal Nikam, special public prosecutor in the November 26 Mumbai terror attack case, on Tuesday urged the trial court to order an inquiry to determine whether prime accused Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab was a juvenile when he allegedly committed crime.

The prosecution asking for an inquiry before the start of the trial is considered significant in legal circles as it does want the accused to plead later that the trial had been vitiated as he was a juvenile. The court has already rejected Kasab's plea that he was a juvenile at the time of commission of offence (November 26, 2008) when he and others had struck terror in Mumbai by firing at people, killing 166, in important public places.

However, judge M L Tahilyani had kept the issue open and observed that at any time during trial if the court feels that the age of the accused be determined it may order an inquiry. Kasab's lawyer Abbas Kazmi said he had no objection to the court holding an inquiry to determine the age of the accused. The inquiry would include scientific tests, he said. The judge heard Nikam and Kazmi on the issue and reserved the order until tomorrow. Nikam pleaded he should be allowed to lead evidence in the inquiry. There was sufficient evidence to prove that Kasab was not a juvenile, he said.

Kasab seeks Urdu chargesheet again

Prime accused in Mumbai terror attack case Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab on Tuesday asked for an Urdu translation of the 11,000-page chargesheet in order to build up his defence, but the prosecution strongly opposed his plea, saying he was adopting "delay tactics" to prolong the trial. Kasab's lawyer Abbas Kazmi also pleaded for four weeks' time to reply to prosecution on charges proposed to be framed against him. Judge M L Tahilyani has reserved order until tomorrow on Kasab's plea for Urdu translation of chargesheet and one-month adjournment to reply to prosecution's proposed charges.

... contd.