Judge orders Kasab to behave in court

Tuesday, 12 May 2009, 14:57 IST   |    3 Comments
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Mumbai: The judge hearing the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case Monday reprimanded the lone captured terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab for laughing and giggling during the proceedings and asked him to behave in court. Kasab giggled as one of the eyewitnesses, Sub Inspector Bhaskar Kadam, identified two AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols and the clothes worn by the Pakistani terrorists. Special Judge M.L. Tahilyani, in a severe tone, said: "This is a serious matter. Do you realize what is going on? Why are you giggling? This is not some drama being staged here." Kasab was among the 10 militants who unleashed a bloodbath in Mumbai Nov 26-28, 2008 that killed over 170 people. While Kasab was captured, nine other terrorists were killed after a 60-hour gunbattle with the security forces. Kadam was present when Kasab was captured at Girgaum Chowpatty. He identified the clothes Kasab and his associate was wearing that night. Noticing Kasab giggling, the judge ordered him to behave in the courtroom and not to look at the media enclosure. "Nowadays you look at the reporters and smile. Henceforth this should not happen," Tahilyani said. Thereafter, Kasab became more serious and remained quiet and attentive throughout the day's proceedings. On a couple of occasions, Kasab had been ordered to properly conduct himself in the court and to clearly respond to the questions put to him. Earlier, government-appointed lawyer S.G. Abbas Kazmi had met Kasab and advised him against smiling or grinning during the court proceedings. Kazmi had also explained the gravity of the charges against Kasab, including waging a war against the country, criminal conspiracy and murder, among others, which attract death penalty.
Source: IANS
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