Prosecution falters again,warrants against only 22

The eight include Hakim Saab,Yusuf,Mursheed,Aakib,Usman,Major General Sahab — name not known,Kharak Singh and Hakim Sahe.

Nikam had on Monday moved a plea to issue non-bailable warrants against 27 accused. However,on Tuesday he could not specify the roles of five accused — Abu Annes,Abu Bashir,Abu Shariya,Abu Safi-ur-Rehman and Abu Imran. Special Judge M L Tahaliyani,while disposing of the petition,noted that the prosecution could not state the role of five accused,and thus it is proper to issue warrants only against 22. The court also observed that the prosecution will have to move a fresh application if it obtains their details at a later stage.

Nikam said the roles of most of the wanted accused have been derived from the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab,the lone arrested terrorist. The prosecution had earlier also moved a petition for non-bailable warrants against the 35 accused named in the chargesheet. The court had asked for their full names and addresses.

The prosecution also examined four witnesses, all police officers attached to the CST railway police station,on Tuesday. These officers, Baldev Bhujbal,Balkrishnan Mane,Ankush Ganjure and Dilip Mane,had conducted the inquest panchnama on the bodies at the railway station.

It has examined 79 witnesses in the case so far.

Notes from The courtroom
Media in-charge
Defining the role of each wanted accused,Nikam said accused Zarrar Shah was the media in-charge of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and he had arranged everything for the crime. To which,Judge Tahaliyani said,”Just like one senior mediaperson of a national news agency who represents the media in this court.”