Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:30 pm
I am not sure he is Pakistani, says Ajmal's lawyer
Mumbai: Abbas Kazmi, the newly appointed lawyer for 26/11 terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir, said on Thursday that he will take the job "very seriously" and "discharge my professional duty". And like a true defence lawyer, he even said: "I am not sure he (Ajmal) is a Pakistani. I have to read the papers."
The special sessions court set up for the 26/11 trial appointed Kazmi as Ajmal's lawyer a day after judge ML Tahiliyani removed Anjali Waghmare from the job.
Kazmi, 54, whose career spans over 16 years, said he cannot say anything about his defence strategy till he read the case papers. "I have not even read the first information report.". He would have to inspect the sites attacked on November 26 last year, he said.
Immediately after his appointment as Ajmal's lawyer, Kazmi said, "I was not keen (to take up the job). I was asked to. I will offer my services to the court. It is a matter of honour for the nation."
He said this would be a tough job. "But I love challenges. I have always taken challenges."
A Bandra resident, Kazmi was born and brought up in Mumbai. He moved to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after his marriage and worked as a financial consultant with a hospital group spread over the Middle East. His wife is a housewife; his son and two daughters are studying.
Kazmi has appeared in high-profile cases like the 1993 serial bomb blasts trial, the 1997 Gulshan Kumar murder trial, and the 1997 cobbler shoe scam trial. Incidentally, Ujjwal Nikam was his opponent in the first two cases, just as he is in the 26/11 trial.
Kazmi has appeared before additional sessions judge Tahiliyani before, too, in the Gulshan Kumar murder trial.
Kazmi said he will not leave his private practice for the trial. "The court will have to accommodate me. I cannot sacrifice everything."
The special sessions court set up for the 26/11 trial appointed Kazmi as Ajmal's lawyer a day after judge ML Tahiliyani removed Anjali Waghmare from the job.
Kazmi, 54, whose career spans over 16 years, said he cannot say anything about his defence strategy till he read the case papers. "I have not even read the first information report.". He would have to inspect the sites attacked on November 26 last year, he said.
Immediately after his appointment as Ajmal's lawyer, Kazmi said, "I was not keen (to take up the job). I was asked to. I will offer my services to the court. It is a matter of honour for the nation."
He said this would be a tough job. "But I love challenges. I have always taken challenges."
A Bandra resident, Kazmi was born and brought up in Mumbai. He moved to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after his marriage and worked as a financial consultant with a hospital group spread over the Middle East. His wife is a housewife; his son and two daughters are studying.
Kazmi has appeared in high-profile cases like the 1993 serial bomb blasts trial, the 1997 Gulshan Kumar murder trial, and the 1997 cobbler shoe scam trial. Incidentally, Ujjwal Nikam was his opponent in the first two cases, just as he is in the 26/11 trial.
Kazmi has appeared before additional sessions judge Tahiliyani before, too, in the Gulshan Kumar murder trial.
Kazmi said he will not leave his private practice for the trial. "The court will have to accommodate me. I cannot sacrifice everything."