Mumbai Police to charge LeT men in 26/11

Mumbai: Mumbai Police are finalising the chargehseet in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case and have sought permission from the Union Government to prosecute top Lashkar-e-Toiba commanders.

According to sources, 17 Lashkar terrorists will be named in the chargesheet including founders Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi and Yosuf Muzzamil.

Centre's permission is needed since the accused are foreign nationals.

The go ahead in expected to come early next week.

Meanwhile, the police custody of Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist captured during the Mumbai attacks, has been extended til February 26.

The custody was extended by Metropolitan Magistrate N Shrimangle on Friday. Kasab has been booked in 12 cases registered across the city.

However, Mumbai Police have decided to club together all the 12 cases registered on the intervening night of November 26 and November 27.

Earlier, on February 12 the Bombay High Court issued a notification directing the immediate setting up of a special court on the Arthur Road jail premises to conduct the trial against Kasab.

The notification issued by the registrar general of the High Court on Wednesday has been sent to the principal judge of the Sessions Court, TV Nalavade, Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor and Judge ML Tahiliani, who has been appointed to conduct the trial in the terror attack case, official sources said.

The notification was issued following a letter sent by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rakesh Maria nearly two weeks back requesting for setting up of the special court.

According to sources, the letter sent by Maria said that since the case is "sensitive" and considering intelligence inputs received regarding threat to Kasab from the underworld, the trial cannot be conducted in a regular court.

The special TADA court in the Arthur Road jail premises, which is presently conducting the trial against extradited gangster Abu Salem, will be shifted to the Sessions Court in south Mumbai, the notification states.

If their names figure, they will be against column two of the chargesheet (those who could not be brought for trial) which will enable the police to seek a non-bailable warrant against them and subsequently an Interpol Red Corner Notice.

India has been exerting diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to handover the suspects belonging to LeT to it for questioning in the case.

(With inputs from Rohit Chandavarkar)