Examining NSG men will reveal their secrets: state

The reply was filed on October 5,after the special sessions judge ML Tahaliyani had told the prosecution to consider examining the NSG commandos who had carried out the operations and also record their statements. The court had also said that if at all the prosecution doesn’t examine them as witnesses,then it would,under Section 311 of the CrPC,consider examining them as court witnesses.

In his eight-page reply,Nikam said,“The NSG techniques are kept very secret and it cannot be exposed in any manner in the public interest. Further,if these techniques and methods of neutralisation of terrorist activities are exposed,then it would be dangerous and harmful in public interest.

It also said “examining of the NSG is not required to prove any of the charges against the arrested — Ajmal Kasab,Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed,as the terrorists who had attacked the targets,Hotel Taj,Trident-Oberoi and Nariman House have already been killed in the encounter and sufficient evidence in the form of identification of bodies by eyewitnesses has been adduced against them.”

Nikam also said 650 commandos had carried out the operations at the targets,and it would be a time-consuming exercise and may delay the trial further. The court is likely to pass an order on the plea on Friday.

Meanwhile,the prosecution also informed the court that it had erroneously issued summons against Captain RK Sharma of the NSG,believing that he had carried out the operation at Hotel Trident-Oberoi. The NSG had returned the summons,saying no such person was with the NSG. However,on a request by Crime Branch to give details of personnel involved in the Hotel Trident-Oberoi attack,the NSG clarified that Lt Col RK Sharma had led the operation. Accordingly,the court issued summons against Sharma on Friday,returnable on October 27.