Qasab trial adjourned till May 2; accused wants perfumes, toothpaste

A special court here on Wednesday adjourned ruling on the medical reports pertaining to the age of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab till May 2 (Saturday).

The accused has also asked the court for certain facilities like an Urdu newspaper, perfumes and toothpaste to be provided to him in prison.

The trial of Qasab, the lone terrorist captured alive after the 26/11 attack on Mumbai, was adjourned till May 2 by Special Judge ML Tahilyani.

On Wednesday morning, Qasab's lawyer SG Abbas Kazmi summoned two medicos as witnesses to give their opinion in the matter of Qasab's age based on a dental examination and a bone test.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said that the testimony of the two medicos - S Nandankar of Sir JJ Hospital and Yogita Devkar of Nair Hospital - has proved that Qasab's age could be between 20-25 years at the time of the Mumbai terror attacks, last November 26.

"This proves our contention that the age (21 years) given by Qasab on three different occasions before different authorities was correct," Nikam pointed out.

In a related development, Qasab moved an application before the special court seeking certain facilities during his stay in jail.

He has asked that he be allowed to read newspapers and named Urdu Times, perfumes, toothpaste and permission to walk in the courtyard of Arthur Road Central Jail, where he is lodged.

"The jail courtyard is secured from all sides. If I continue to remain in this cell, I will lose my mental balance," he pleaded through his lawyer.

Qasab has also sought that all his personal belongings and money confiscated after his arrest, should be deposited in the jail accounts in his name.