HC rejects Kasab's plea for closed-door interview with lawyers

MUMBAI: Taking note of the past records and aggressive behaviour of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday rejected his plea for a closed-door meeting with lawyers to take a stand on the confirmation of death sentence awarded to him for his role in the 26/11 attacks.

Justices Ranjana Desai and R V More, while dismissing the plea, said they had viewed a CD of CCTV footage submitted by Government Counsel Ujjwal Nikam which showed Kasab attacking prison personnel on September 1 and also considered the past experiences of Kasab on his aggressive posture in jail.

"Threat perception to Kasab cannot be questioned by this court in a case of this nature....National interest and safety outweighs all other considerations. Therefore, we reject Kasab's prayer seeking legal interview not within the hearing distance of jail staff and police," the two-judge bench observed.

Kasab's lawyer Amin Solkar argued that enough security had been provided in and around the jail where Kasab is lodged and said his client wanted to give him instructions in a free atmosphere and not in the presence of police and jail staff.

Nikam objected to Kasab's plea, saying he was a trained commando, and with swift movements he could pose a danger to his own life as well as to jail guards. Presence of jail staff was necessary to control his aggressive movements.

He submitted confidential reports about Kasab's behaviour in jail during the trial and thereafter.