Cousin of cop who caught Kasab among Sainiks held for targeting his lawyer

In fact,some members of Omble’s family have joined the voices against lawyer Anjali Waghmare for accepting the case. One of them,Eknath Omble,a first cousin of the slain policeman,was among nine Shiv Sainiks arrested today for rioting and unlawful assembly during Monday night’s protest and remanded to police custody for a day.

The nine Sainiks were among a crowd of 100 who allegedly pelted stones at the residence of the Waghmares. They were remanded to police custody until Wednesday and Waghmare today sought a day’s time from the special court to decide if she still wants to defend the Pak national.

A visibly shaken Waghmare,who has since been provided security,told Special Sessions Judge M L Tahilyani,“I have not taken up the case on my own,it was the court’s order and I am following the mandate of the court. Why are people not accepting this fact and obstructing the smooth flow of the case.”

Waghmare initially blamed the media saying excessive coverage had instigated the attackers. But the court observed,“Media has not overdone the reportage and nothing negative has been highlighted”.

Judge Tahilyani sought a detailed report from the Worli police about the incident to be submitted to the court in a couple of days. The court is likely to initiate contempt proceedings against the accused after seeing the report. Judge Tahilyani observed: “In a democratic country,as per the Constitution of India,a free and fair trial is the basic right of the accused and the appointment of a lawyer from the legal aid panel is the first step towards it in which there cannot be any hurdles. If there is,then it would amount to interference in the legal system. Proper action needs to be taken against the offenders.” The court also directed the second lawyer for Kasab,K P Pawar,to be in court on Wednesday to state his position on assisting Waghmare.

Ramesh Waghmare,Anjali’s husband,is an Assistant Police Inspector posted in the Protection Branch of Mumbai Police while Omble was an Assistant Sub-Inspector at the D B Marg Police Station. Both families live in the large police colony in Worli in south-central Mumbai — Omble’s family has been allowed to retain the quarters after his death — but were not acquainted with each other. Eknath,the one arrested,lives in the Shivajinagar slums near the Worli police lines and has a vada-pav stall outside the police colony.

Said his wife Kavita Omble,who was running the stall in her husband’s absence: “He has lost his brother in such an inhuman attack…Why should someone from the force represent Kasab? Moreover she (Waghmare) is from the same police camp as Omble and yet she is representing his killer. We feel betrayed.”

However,Kavita added that she was not against Kasab getting a lawyer in principle. “We want him to hang and know that if he doesn’t have a lawyer,this will just be delayed. But the lawyer shouldn’t be from the force,” she said.

Anjali’s husband Ramesh Waghmare said he understands this sentiment: “I have no complaints against them,I can feel their grief as they have lost their family members and are bound to react the way they did. Anjali and I plan to meet them personally to explain the legal position of a defence lawyer for Kasab in a couple of days.”

“My wife did not take this up on her own,” he said. “It was the state government’s legal aid panel on which she is the seniormost lawyer which assigned her the case. Legally she is entitled to appear for all the cases assigned to her as per the rules of the state legal services. If she doesn’t then it will be a loss to the entire country if Kasab is not defended and is acquitted.”