Mumbai: As the deadline forfiling an appeal in the Bombay High Court draws to a close, Pakistani gunmanAjmal Kasab, sentenced to death for his role in 26/11 terror attacks, is busyjotting down notes in Arthur Road Central jail to help his lawyers in preparinghis defence.
Kasab's lawyers AminSolkar and Farhana Shah met him recently in prison to ask him whether he hadanything to say as they were drafting an appeal to be filed in the High Court nextweek.
"Kasab told usthat he needed a pen and some papers to note down certain points which he hadcome across during the trial. We forwarded his request to prison authoritieswho have now provided him with the stationery," Shah told PTI.
Kasab also told usthat "he had full faith in both of us and that he would accept whateverlegal advise we gave him," Shah said.
"We are currently going through the 1,500-page judgement and thechargesheet supplied to us. The appeal is being prepared and would be filedshortly," Shah said.
The High Court hasposted the matter of confirmation of death sentence imposed on Kasab to August12 and also asked defence lawyers and the state government to expedite filing appealsagainst the verdict of the lower court.
The state governmenthad told the high court on August 2 that their appeal against acquittal of twoaccused, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed would be filed within few days, whileKasab's lawyer Shah had asked for two months time.
Keeping the matter onAugust 12 for directions, the High Court told defence lawyers that they shouldexpedite filing the appeal.
Kasab is kept insolitary confinement of Central Prison in a bullet and bomb proof cell which isheavily guarded by Indo-Tibetan Border Security personnel.
A special court hadsentenced him to death on May 6 for killing 166 people along with nine othersin the terror attacks at various places in Mumbai at the instance ofLashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).
While Kasab wascaptured alive, all others were killed in firing by Indian security forces. Co-accused,Faheem and Sabauddin, however, were acquitted as the court gave them thebenefit of doubt saying evidence against them was "doubtful".