Mumbai attacks: Court accepts FIA, defence applications

ATC accepts FIA application to declare Ajmal Kasab and Fahim Arshad Ansari as proclaimed offenders in Mumbai attack.

RAWALPINDI: An Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi accepted an application by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday to declare Ajmal Kasab and Fahim Arshad Ansari as proclaimed offenders in the 2008 Mumbai attacks case.

Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar submitted an application before the ATC, claiming the case against seven men who were arrested for allegedly planning the Mumbai attacks could not proceed without Kasab and Ansari being declared proclaimed offenders.

Meanwhile the counsel for the defence, Khawaja Sultan, submitted application saying Kasab has already been convicted in India and could not be tried again in Pakistan under section 403 of the criminal procedure code. Kasab is not avoiding the court wilfully since he is in the custody of Indian law enforcement agencies, he added.

The court accepted the application of both the prosecution and the defence and adjourned the case till March 5.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2011.