Will wrap up case on 26/11,says Nikam

The prosecution in the 26/11 case is likely to wrap up its evidence against lone arrested terrorist Ajmal Kasab and two Indians on the anniversary of the terror attack.

We are likely to complete evidence against the accused by November 26,exactly a year after the attack by Kasab and his nine accomplices, said Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

While the prosecution has examined 266 witnesses so far,six more are yet to be quizzed. All the remaining witnesses are investigating officers of the 12 different cases registered against the accused at different police stations on the night of November 26,2008.

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Nikam said,We will also be submitting affidavits of around 300 formal witnesses to save the courts time. These witnesses include those who were injured at various targets but did not see the gunman; the officers who seized the articles and took them for carrying out chemical test; and relatives of the victims who claimed their bodies.

After the prosecution closes its case,defence lawyers may exercise their right to examine their witnesses.

Finally,the court would give its verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.

In a related development,accused Sabahuddin Ahmeds lawyer Ejaz Naqvi moved a plea before the court,seeking to make Mohammed Janjua and Aamir Janjua the father-son duo arrested in Italy for allegedly funding the communication between the attackers and their handlers in Pakistan conspirators in the case.

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Dismissing the plea,judge M L Tahaliyani observed,How am I concerned about all this? I am only concerned about the chargesheet before me.

Meanwhile,the Crime Branch is likely to ask the court to issue a Letter Rogatory to the Italian court to officially follow up the father-son duos arrest.