26/11 Mumbai attacks: Charges framed against Abu Jundal

Mumbai: A sessions court Wednesday framed charges against Lashkar-e-Taiba operative and key plotter of 26/11 terror strikes, Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, in connection with the 2008 Mumbai attacks case.

"The court has framed charges against Jundal in the 26/11 case and he has pleaded innocence," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told PTI.

Jundal was today produced in the court of judge G A Sanap who read out and explained the charges to the accused and he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution had filed draft charges against Jundal in December 2013.

Jundal was charged on 23 different counts, including criminal conspiracy, waging war against the nation, criminal conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping for murder, cheating, forgery and for abetting the terror attack from Pakistan under Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Other charges are under sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosives Act, Explosive Substances Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Railways Act and Customs Act.

Meanwhile, Nikam said the court will start hearing his arguments on the police plea for making Pakistani-American LeT terrorist David Headley an accused in the 26/11 case.

On October 8, police had moved an application to try Headley along with Jundal and sought issuance of Letter of Request (LR) against him for his production through video conference.

A native of Beed district of Maharashtra, Jundal was interrogated after he was brought here from Delhi where he had been arrested following his deportation from Saudi Arabia in June 2012.

The Mumbai terror strikes of November 2008 left 166 dead and many more injured.

The charge sheet against Jundal has details about his training in Pakistan, preparations ahead of 26/11, LeT hierarchy, the precise role played by those involved, etc.

According to Jundal's confession, LeT training camps enjoyed full support from local, federal police and paramilitary organisations in Pakistan.

As per the charge sheet, after fleeing Maharashtra, Jundal entered Bangladesh in May 2006, where he was received by an ISI agent. He then used a boarding pass issued in a fictitious name to fly PIA flight to Pakistan.

In Maharashtra, Jundal is also accused of involvement in Aurangabad arms haul case, 2010 German Bakery blast case in Pune and Nashik police academy attack conspiracy case.