New Delhi: A suspected Pakistani militant
and his two Kashmiri accomplices have strongly objected to the
remarks of a Delhi judge who likened them to Ajmal Amir Kasab,
who is facing trial in the Mumbai terror attacks.
The three have made a complaint before the District
Judge seeking transfer of their case from the special POTA
court accusing the woman judge of being "prejudiced and
biased".
"Ajmal Kasab is your brother, you all are of the same
clan but now you are not owning him," were the remarks
attributed to the judge by them.
Mohd Hassan, who hailed from Mandi district in Punjab
province of Pakistan and Shafaquat Iqbal and Shabbir Ahmed of
Doda in Jammu and Kashmir, alleged that the judge without any
reason referred to 26/11 attacks and made other observations
like -- "It is you who are trouble makers."
The accused, suspected to be LeT militants, filed
separate affidavits, to point out "unwarranted" references
made by the judge against them.
"You are lucky being inside jail otherwise you would
have been dead" was another remark that they claimed in the
affidavit was made by the judge.
"In view of the biased and prejudiced attitude of the
trial court (judge), we do not have faith in her and we are
hopeful that we will not be getting justice as trial court has
reached the conclusion that we are guilty before the
conclusion of the trial," their application, seeking transfer
of their case, said.
The three accused, who are in Tihar jail since their
arrest near Dilli Haat here on April 26, 2007, had first made
these allegations against the judge orally.
But, in view of the seriousness of the charges, the
District Judge advised them to file affidavits containing the
allegations to decide their plea for transfer of the case.
The District Judge issued notice to the Delhi
Government on the application of the accused and put the
matter for hearing on November 24.
According to the prosecution, Hassan and two others,
belonging to terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba were apprehended by
the Delhi Police's Special Cell with two kilogrammes RDX,
three electric detonators and two hand grenades with Rs 25,000
cash.
The police alleged that the three were sent to the
capital by their handler Abu Ammar, a Pakistan-based suspected
Chief Commander of LeT of Jammu and Kashmir to carry out
blasts.
The three have been charged with various offences
including waging war against the country under the IPC and
other offences under the Explosive Substance Act.
Bureau Report