Mumbai, February 24: Slain advocate Shahid Azmi’s younger brother, Khalid, 29, has been appointed as the lawyer for Fahim Ansari, the 26/11 accused.
Khalid had requested the court to restrain the media from publishing his name as Ansari’s lawyer. However,first additional principal judge ML Tahaliyani told him to muster courage and prepare for taking up the case. “If lawyers start getting scared, how will the society react?” he asked.
Khalid, who passed out from Borivli’s Nalanda Law College last year, will engage senior counsel RB Mokashi to argue the case. Khalid primarily practises in the Kurla metropolitan magistrate court, and occasionally at the sessions court.
Mokashi is a special public prosecutor in the custodial death of Ghatkopar blast accused Khwaja Yunus. The case is being investigated by state CID. Ansari’s wife Yasmeen said, “Jamaat-e-Ulema-hind has helped us in getting Khalid and Mokashi. Shahid bhai has done the good work and someone able was needed to take the case forward. We are grateful to the organisation.”
The prosecution opens argument on March 9 in the 26/11 case. The defence lawyers for the three accused will then argue their cases.
On Wednesday, advocate KP Pawar will cross-examine one formal witness, after which the court will record statements of all the three accused, including Ajmal Kasab.
–Agencies–