Waghmare Sacked as Kasab’s Lawyer
Citing conflict of interest, the Special Court at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai removed Anjali Waghmare as the lawyer for Ajmal Amir Kasab – the lone Pakistani attacker captured alive during the 26/11 terror carnage in the commercial capital.
Waghmare, who also represents a witness – Harishchandra Shrivardhankar – in the Cama hospital firing incident during the terror attack, has been removed for professional misconduct.
Court observed that Waghmare had failed to avail of the ample time she had to bring the fact, that she had given consultations to both the victim and the witness in the Cama firing incident case, to the notice of the court.
Waghmare, an alumnus of the reputed Symbiosis Institute Pune, had reportedly given e-mail instructions to Shrivardhankar in the case.
Shrivardhankar, according to media reports, informed investigators about Waghmare advising him in the case.
Waghmare was removed as she could not represent both the accused and the victim in the same case as it construes to a conflict of interest and amounts to misconduct.
Waghmare, who bore the brunt of public ire at her Worli police colony residence after she agreed to defend Kasab, reportedly wept after the judge asked her to leave the court.
Till another lawyer is appointed by the court to defend Kadsab, Waghmare’s assistant KR Pawar will defend the Pakistani citizen, the court, however, observed that a senior counsel would be appointed to defend the terror accused.
(CNN-IBN inputs)
