26/11 accused asks to examine NIA chief, Rahul Bhatt as witnesses

Sabauddin Ahmed, an accused in the 26/11 terror attack case today sought permission from the trial court to examine NIA Chief S. C. Sinha, Gujarat DGP S. S. Khandwawala, Rahul Bhatt - son of film maker Mahesh Bhatt, and Fitness Instructor Vilas Warak as defence witnesses.

Ahmed’s lawyer Ejaz Naqvi told the court that he wants to examine these four witness to establish that terror suspect David Headley had conducted the recce of Mumbai before the 26/11 attack and not Sabahuddin as alleged by the prosecution.

“David Headley was staying at Malabar Hill in Mumbai and had conducted recce of the entire city and had passed on information to the 26/11 perpetrators. Then what is the need for Sabahuddin to prepare the sketches?” Mr. Naqvi asked.

He further argued that according to the investigation agencies, Headley had also conducted recce of the Osho ashram in Pune near which a blast took place on February 13.

Asked by special judge M. L. Tahiliyani as to what evidence Mr. Rahul Bhatt and Mr. Vilas Warak can give, Mr. Naqvi said the duo were close friends of Headley and had visited several places in the city with him.

However, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam opposed the application of Sabahuddin stating that the evidence of these witness was not relevant in the trial and also that Mr. Naqvi was going on hypothesis that the whole 26/11 attack took place because of Headley.

“According to the prosecution, Sabahuddin and Faheem Ansari had prepared the maps of the terror sites and supplied them to the perpetrators. However, the possibility of Headley also supplying pictures of the terror sites cannot be ruled out,” Mr. Nikam told the court.

The court will pass its order on the application tomorrow.

Besides Sabahuddin, Ansari and Ajmal Kasab are facing trial. While Kasab is charged with killing 166 persons in the attack, Sabahuddin and Ansari are facing charges of drawing maps of targets and passing them on militant outfit LeT for executing the terror strikes.