Mumbai: Ajmal Qasab will have to find himself a new lawyer. The Maharashtra government has already begun its hunt. Anjali Waghmare the lawyer appointed in his case was removed on Wednesday after Judge M L Tahiliyani who's trying the 26/11 case ruled there was a conflict of interest.
Qasab himself has asked for a Pakistani lawyer, but arguments in the trial will now only begin on Friday after a new lawyer is found to defend Qasab.
Anjali reportedly had also agreed to defend a potential witness in the case. In court, the lawyer and the judge had a back and forth:
Judge ML Tahiliyani: You should have discussed this on the first day. You did not do it.
Anjali Waghmare: I did it orally.
Judge ML Tahiliyani: You did not do it.
Anjali Waghmare: I was not firm in my decision to defend Qasab.
Judge ML Tahiliyani: That was the problem. You could have asked for more time.
Anjali Waghmare: I should have given it to you in writing.
Advocate KB Lam who also wanted to defend Qasab had pointed out the discrepancy in Waghmare's appointment. On seeing Lam's appeal, the judge had asked Waghmare to clarify.
This was two weeks ago.
"Waghmare had met me after this application was made. First question I asked her was had she seen the witness and she said no," said ML Tahiliyani, Judge.
In his order Judge ML Tahiliyani said interest of the victim and interest of the accused clashes. He said he is the caretaker for Qasab who is a foreign national and that he has to ensure nothing inappropriate happens to him.
"There will be no delay in the case. A lawyer for Qasab will be fixed in two days," said Ujwal Nikam, Special Public Prosecutor.