Raju Ramachandran does not want fee for defending Kasab

New Delhi: Raju Ramachandran, the senior lawyer who defended Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab in the Supreme Court as amicus curiae on the orders of the court, has said he does not want the fee of Rs 11 lakh due to him.

Mr Ramachandran moved an application in court today saying, while he is deeply grateful that the court has ordered remuneration, the amount may be paid to Supreme Court or Maharashtra legal services authority or any other body which can help poor and needy litigants.

Last week, the Supreme Court had upheld the award of a death sentence to Kasab, the only terrorist caught alive during the Mumbai attacks of 26/11 2008.

"I bow down to the court verdict," Mr Ramachandran had said.

The Supreme Court had directed the Maharashtra government to pay Rs 11 Lakh to Mr Ramachandran and Rs 3.5 lakh to lawyer Gaurav Agarwal, who assisted the amicus curiae. Mr Agarwal too has moved an application that his fees be donated to the state legal services authority.

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Before the court upheld the award of a death sentence, Mr Ramachandran had said that "Kasab has not waged war against India" and he should be treated like any other accused.