The trial in the 26/11 terror attack case could be delayed after two arrested accused, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin, have requested a local court to direct the city police to translate the 11,000 page chargesheet filed into Urdu. The duo made this request before the metropolitan magistrate on March 6 stating that the chargesheet filed by the Mumbai Crime Branch is in English and Marathi, which they do not understand.
The magistrate will pass an order on this request on Monday. Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive in the 26/11 attack, will also likely to make a similar request, sources said. If the court accepts the request then the Crime Branch will have to comply with it after which the case will be committed to the special court set up inside the high security Arthur Road prison.
Translating the voluminous chargesheet into Urdu will be a mammoth task for the Crime Branch and Special Public Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam. The Crime Branch had on February 25 filed an 11,000-page chargesheet against 38 accused in connection with the audacious terror attack that killed over 160 persons.
Out of the 38 accused, 35 Pakistani nationals and operatives of Lashkar-e-Tayiba have been shown as wanted. Among those include Zaki-ur-Rehman Laqvi, Yousif Muzammil, Abu Kafa, Abu Ramza and Zarar Shah. It also includes names of two suspected army men Major General Saab and Colonel R Saadat Ullah. The accused have been charged under various sections of Indian Penal Code including waging war against the nation and criminal conspiracy and under the Foreigners Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act, Explosives Act and Customs Act.
The trial will be conducted in a special court set up inside the Arthur Road prison which will be presided by Judge M L Tahilyani. Kasab, Faheem and Sabauddin are presently lodged inside the Arthur Road jail.
