'I have no faith in Indian court and this case may be transferred to an international court,' Kasab said in an application to the court. He had moved the application written in his own hand in Urdu. The application was filed through jail authorities who translated it into Marathi and produced before the court.The judge asked Kasab whether he had written the application and he replied 'Ji huzoor' (Yes, Sir). The trial of Kasab, whom police formally charged in February with several offences including 'waging war' against India, began on March 23 via a video link with his Arthur Road prison in Mumbai.
In a separate development, the judge also rejected the plea of co-accused Fahim Ansari to stay the proceedings on the ground that he had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking transfer of the 26/11 case to some other court alleging that the recording of evidence was incorrect.
'This is yet another attempt by the accused to delay the trial,' noted Judge Tahaliyani while rejecting Fahim's plea to stay the proceedings. 'Fahim is perhaps being instigated by outsiders,' the court noted. Fahim is facing the charge of conspiring with other accused in the terror attacks.
Police say they recovered maps of 26/11 terror locations which he allegedly handed over to LeT conspirators in Pakistan. The court has also issued contempt notice to Fahim asking him why contempt action should not be taken against him for making allegations against it in the application.
Meanwhile, disappointed at the Lahore High Court's decision to scrap terror cases against Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, India said it would take up the issue with Pakistan as it was given to understand that formal investigation would be conducted against him.
Maintaining that Pakistan should investigate Hafiz Saeed in the Mumbai attack case, Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna said India had provided evidence about his being the 'brain behind' the strike but he was not booked in that case.
'Our talks with Pakistan foreign minister was somewhat on this line that formal investigation would be done on Hafiz Saeed with reference to Mumbai,' Mr Krishna told reporters.