The much awaited trial in the 26/11 terror attack case may not begin on Wednesday as the special court has to first decide a petition seeking to debar lawyer Anjali Waghmare from defending the lone surviving gunman, Mohammed Amir Ajmal Qasab, on grounds of "professional misconduct".
Waghmare, appointed by the court to defend Qasab, is mired in a controversy, which seems to put her in a tight spot in the wake of allegations that she had first accepted brief of a witness in this case before deciding to defend Qasab.
Citing public interest, Advocate K B N Lam has moved an application before the court alleging that Waghmare had accepted the brief from Harishchandra Shrivardhankar, who was victim of attack by Qasab and his team members at Cama hospital in Mumbai on November 26, 2008.
He is a prime witness in the case and was seeking compensation from the government for injuries sustained in his neck during the attack.
According to Lam, Waghmare had sought instructions from this witness and even signed a Vakalatnama to help him seek compensation. She had kept the court in dark about this development, Lam alleged.
He contended that Waghmare could not accept brief of accused Qasab if she had decided to appear for a witness in the same case.
