26/11 case adjourned to Oct 31, plea against indictment in HC

The new Pakistani judge hearing the Mumbai attacks case on Monday adjourned till October 31 the trial of seven suspects, including Lashker-e-Taiba operative Zakiur Lakhvi, while defence lawyers moved the Lahore High Court challenging their indictment.

The new Pakistani judge hearing the Mumbai attacks case on Monday adjourned till October 31 the trial of seven suspects, including Lashker-e-Taiba operative Zakiur Lakhvi, while defence lawyers moved the Lahore High Court challenging their indictment.

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Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan of anti-terror court, who was appointed last week to conduct the in-camera trial, began hearing the case this morning at the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

Awan replaced Judge Baqir Ali Rana, who had asked to be taken off the case for security reasons.

Shahbaz Rajput, a lawyer representing some of the accused, said Judge Awan had adjourned the case till October 31 at the conclusion of today's proceedings.

He did not give details of the hearing as the court has imposed a gag order on the accused and lawyers.

However, sources told PTI that the suspects again refused to accept their indictment at an earlier hearing, saying it was done in the absence of their lawyers.

Judge Awan warned the suspects that he would begin recording the testimony of witnesses at the next hearing regardless of their decision not to accept the chargesheet, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the four defence lawyers on Monday filed a petition challenging the indictment of the suspects in the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court.