Abu Jundal's trial in 26/11 case to start soon

, April 3: Six months after the police filed the chargesheet against suspected LeT operative and key plotter of 26/11 Mumbai terror strike Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari, the

is set to start.

"The (26/11 attack-related) case has been assigned to sessions judge UB Hejib and the hearing will start this week," said a crime branch officer on Wednesday.

Mumbai crime branch took Ansari alias Abu Jundal's custody from Delhi Police in the 26/11 case on July 21, 2012, and filed the chargesheet in October 2012. The chargesheet says he was a key conspirator who was in the 'control room' in Pakistan during the attacks and gave instructions to the terrorists.

A native of Beed district of Maharashtra, Jundal was interrogated after he was brought here from Delhi where he had been arrested following his deportation from Saudi Arabia in June 2012.

Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008 left 166 dead and many more injured. The chargesheet has details about Jundal's training in Pakistan, preparations ahead of 26/11, LeT hierarchy, the precise role played those involved, etc.

According to Jundal's confession, LeT training camps enjoyed full support from local, federal police and paramilitary organisations in Pakistan.

According to the chargesheet, after fleeing Maharashtra, Jundal entered Bangladesh in May 2006, where he was received by an ISI agent. He then used a boarding pass issued in a fictitious name to fly PIA flight to Pakistan.

In Maharashtra, Jundal is also accused of involvement in Aurangabad arms haul case, 2010 German Bakery blast case in Pune, and Nashik police academy attack conspiracy case.

PTI