Pak dismisses plea to declare Kasab fugitive

Islamabad, Mar 27: The prosecution's application for declaring Ajmal Kasab and Fahim Ansari as fugitives was dismissed on Saturday, Mar 27 by the Pakistani anti-terror court court, conducting the 26/11 trial against LeT's Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six others.

The application was rejected by Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan of the Rawalpindi-based court, who is conducting trial within the Adiala Jail due to security reasons.

"The prosecution's application for declaring Kasab and Fahim Ansari as proclaimed offenders was dismissed by the judge," during today's proceedings, Shahbaz Rajput, one of the defence lawyers, said.

According to sources the application was rejected under Section 512 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which is refers to recording of evidence in the absence of an accused.

Under the section, the court can record evidence of the prosecution witnesses in case the accused is absent, so that the recorded evidence can be used whenever the accused is brought before the court for trial.

Earlier the prosecution filed an application to the Court demanding that Ajmal, the lone suriving terrorist of the Mumbai terror attacks, and Ansari, accused in the 26/11 trial, be declared as fugitives and be brought to Pakistan to face trial.

OneIndia News