I have no faith in Indian courts: Kasab

MUMBAI: Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab on Monday said he had no faith in Indian courts and pleaded for transfer of the 26/11 case to an international court but his plea was rejected on the ground that it was 'misconceived'.

"I have no faith in Indian courts and this case may be transferred to an international court," pleaded Kasab in an application to the court.

Judge M L Tahaliyani rejected Kasab's plea saying "it is misconceived".

Kasab, facing charges of killing 183 people and injuring several others in the Mumbai attacks along with other suspected Laskher-e-Taiba operatives, had moved the application written in his own hand in Urdu.

The application was filed through jail authorities who translated it into Marathi and produced before the court.

Tahaliyani asked Kasab whether he had written the application and he replied "ji huzoor" (yes, sir).

In another development, Tahaliyani also rejected the plea of co-accused Fahim Ansari to stay the proceedings on the ground that he had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking transfer of 26/11 case to some other court alleging that the recording of evidence was incorrect.

"This is yet another attempt by the accused to delay the trial", noted Tahaliyani while rejecting Fahim's plea to stay the proceedings.

While stating that he had no trust in the trial court, Fahim Ansari had alleged that he was not being allowed to meet his wife and proceedings of the case were not being correctly recorded.

The Judge, rejecting his plea to stay the trial, observed "the accused is employing delay tactics. His wife has been issued a permanent pass to attend the proceedings. Fahim is also allowed to meet his wife every day and the meeting time also has been increased from time to time".

"Despite getting all such facilities, Fahim has been misusing them. Also, whenever he is asked queries, he does not cooperate and gives evasive answers," observed the court.

As regards his plea that proceedings were not being correctly recorded, the judge said it (the allegation) was "misconceived" and added that there was no provision in law to have an audio-visual recording of the trial.

"Fahim is perhaps being instigated by outsiders", the court noted.

Fahim is facing the charge of conspiring with other accused in the terror attacks. Police say they recovered maps of 26/11 terror locations which he allegedly handed over to LeT conspirators in Pakistan.

The court has also issued contempt notice to Fahim asking him why contempt action should not be taken against him for making allegations against it in the application.