Abu Jundal`s lawyer in Nashik conspiracy case no more

Nashik: City-based advocate Milan Joshi, who was appointed by a special court as the lawyer of terror suspect Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal in a conspiracy case, is no more, family members said. Joshi passed away yesterday at his residence here following a brief illness. He was 52 and survived by wife and two sons. Joshi hailed from adjoining Dhule district but had settled down in Nashik in 1986 after which he started his own practice as a lawyer. Jundal, who was arrested in a case of conspiracy to blow up the city-based Maharashtra Police Academy, had been produced before the Special Court from time to time. However, he had refused to hire a lawyer to defend him. On behalf of the Maharashtra government, the Court appointed Joshi to represent Jundal in the case. ATS filed a 58-page charge sheet on February 7 against Jundal and Billal Shaikh, the prime accused who allegedly planned to attack the academy in 2010. Seven more accused are absconding. The charges are yet to be framed in the case. Now that his lawyer has passed away, the court will appoint another counsel for Jundal, legal experts said. Jundal, brought to India from Saudi Arabia last year, was also one of the alleged handlers of the 26/11 terrorists. According to prosecution, Jundal had taught Hindi to the attackers and given them instructions from a control room in Karachi when the attacks were in progress in Mumbai in November 2008. PTI