She lives with her husband Ramesh Waghmare — an Assistant Police Inspector who was with the Economic Offences wing until recently and is now with the Protection branch of the Mumbai Police — and their child in the Worli police quarters. Contacted on the phone after her appointment, Ramesh Waghmare had said: “This is a different matter. I don’t want to comment.”

Originally from Pune, Waghmare has mostly practised as a criminal lawyer at the session’s court. Asked what made her agree to appear for Kasab after other lawyers had withdrawn their vakalatnamas, she had said: “There were many aspects which made me take up the case. I had detailed discussions with my husband and other family members, relatives and friends and decided to take up the case.”

“I haven’t met Kasab yet. Neither have I gone through the voluminous chargesheet of the case. Today was the first time when I was introduced to Kasab and my first interaction with him will only be on April 6, the date when I meet him personally at Arthur Road,” she said.

“Since the chargesheet is so voluminous, the court has directed that I be assisted by another lawyer which will make things a little easy for me.” At the same time, she said the media must “convey the right message to the people” that she agreed to represent Kasab to “assist the court and carry out justice for the citizens and the accused.”

With the appointment of Waghmare who is fluent in English, Hindi and Marathi, the court made it clear that Kasab would not be given a copy of the chargesheet in Marathi. Judge Tahilyani informed Kasab, while he was being produced through vide-conferencing, that “your lawyer knows English and Marathi, so there is no question of an Urdu chargesheet... if at all any briefing is required you can give it to her on the next date.”

... contd.