Jt Secy (Judicial) to depose on sanction to prosecute Kasab

The 26/11 court has issued summons to Shashi Bhushan, Joint Secretary (Judicial) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, to appear as witness to throw light on sanction given to prosecute Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab and two others on charges of "waging war against the nation".

However, the date for examining Bhushan has not been fixed as he is on leave, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said. In a case of criminal conspiracy hatched outside India, sanction of the Central government is necessary under the laws to prosecute the accused.

In this case, Bhushan, as the competent authority, had granted sanction to prosecute Kasab, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed. Bhushan would be examined to throw light on this aspect, Nikam said.

The prosecution has already examined 271 witnesses and two more remain to depose. Besides, they have filed affidavits of 340 witnesses whom they do not wish to examine personally. The defence team would inform the court next week how many of them would they cross examine.

Kasab is facing the charges of killing 166 persons in the terror attacks, while Faheem and Ansari have been charged with preparing maps of targets and handing them over to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to carry out the strikes.