Court raps police for not examining witnesses

The special court hearing the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case on Thursday has questioned police on the failure to examine independent witnesses in the Girgaum Chowpatty encounter.

The special court hearing the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case on Thursday has questioned police on the failure to examine independent witnesses in the Girgaum Chowpatty encounter. The encounter saw Pakistani gunman Ajmal Amir Kasab being apprehended alive and his buddy partner Abu Ismail was killed.

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The court raised the query after special public prosecutor cited the testimony of three police officers as eyewitnesses to the encounter.

The court asked why the police did not examine any independent witnesses to press murder charges against Kasab. The prosecution replied to this query saying the police could not find any independent witnesses in the wee hours of the fateful night.

The special prosecutor also cited legal provisions saying police need not interrogate all the probable witnesses while investigating any criminal case. The prosecutor also said that the court should have asked the question to the concerned investigating officers when they testified before the court.

The special prosecutor also said that testimony of all the eyewitnesses withstood legal scrutiny. He said the law required the court to ensure that the eyewitnesses were independent and not unduly interested in the case.

Meanwhile, Kasab on Thursday told the court that he was suffering from low blood pressure. The judge allowed him to return to his cell after he stated that his blood pressure had gone down to the level of 70/50.