Authorities at Mumbais high-security Arthur Road jail have submitted to the Bombay High Court CCTV pictures of Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab attacking a jail official and urged the court not to allow the 26/11 convict alone with his lawyers as they fear for their safety. Kasabs lawyer Farhana Shah has filed an application seeking a legal interview with him inside the prison,with the direction that jail guards should not be close enough to hear the conversation. The prosecution has opposed the request citing security concerns and filed an affidavit that includes the CCTV pictures. The court is due to hear arguments from both sides on the issue on Tuesday. Amin Solkar,Kasabs other defence lawyer,told Newsline an affidavit had been filed on Monday by Arthur Road jail superintendent Rajendra Dhamne citing reasons for opposing a legal interview without adequate security cover. The three-page affidavit contains two confidential reports. One is a report of Kasabs previous conduct with other inmates and guards in the prison,and the other is a CD that contains CCTV footage from inside Arthur Road jail, Solkar said. Sources said the CD contained CCTV grabs of a serious incident in which Kasab had attacked a jail official when the latter came into close contact with the Pakistani convict. The affidavit also says that since Kasab had undergone rigorous commando training for the Mumbai attack,it would be very dangerous to leave him alone with his lawyers. Keeping in mind the persisting security threat to Kasabs life,he will not be present in person in the High Court when the confirmation hearing of the death sentence passed by the special sessions court begins on October 18. Instead,the proceedings will be conducted through video-conferencing.
