Trial of man who taught 26/11 terrorists Hindi to resume
What's the story
The trial of Zabiuddin Ansari, who taught the 26/11 terrorists Hindi, is set to resume after the Bombay High Court overturned a lower court order directing police to hand over confidential documents to the accused. The decision was taken by a bench of Justice R N Laddha on Monday. The Delhi Police, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Ministry of External Affairs had challenged the trial court's 2018 order that asked them to furnish specific confidential documents sought by Ansari.
Accusations
Ansari accused of training terrorists involved in 26/11 attacks
Ansari is accused of planning and training the 10 Pakistani terrorists involved in the November 26, 2008, Mumbai terror attacks. He allegedly taught them Hindi and local mannerisms to help them blend in, as well as key details about Mumbai's topography. The trial has been on hold since 2018 due to a petition by government authorities over document disclosure.
Document dispute
Ansari sought documents to prove his arrest in Saudi Arabia
Ansari had sought documents from a special court in Mumbai to prove his arrest in Saudi Arabia and subsequent deportation to India. The trial court had granted his request in 2018, prompting authorities to seek a stay on the order from the Bombay High Court. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued for quashing the trial court's order, calling it "bad in law." On Monday, the high court upheld the Centre's plea, paving the way for the trial to resume.
Capture details
Ansari was deported from Saudi Arabia to India in 2012
Seeking the quashing of the trial court order, the authorities claimed that Ansari "trained Ajmal Kasab and others who entered Mumbai illegally," and he "was handling all the terrorists via satellite phone while sitting in Pakistan." Ansari was deported from Saudi Arabia to India in June 2012 to Delhi, where he was taken into custody. During interrogation, he spoke about his connections with Lashkar commanders and meetings with Hafeez Saeed, as well as their recruitment plans using cyberspace, PTI reported.
Attack aftermath
Trial on hold since 2018
The 26/11 attacks, executed by 10 heavily armed Pakistani terrorists, killed 166 people. Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist caught alive, was convicted and executed in November 2012. Ansari faces multiple terror charges from various police forces in Maharashtra, Bangalore, and Gujarat. In 2016, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Aurangabad arms haul case under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA).