Abbas KazmiWhat is Syed Ghulam Abbas Kazmi, Who defended the terrorist Kasab for most of his trial, doing these days? Philip Varghese meets him to hear his story
“DON,T want to go back bollywood again,” says famous advocate Syed Ghulam Abbas Kazmi, who had recently represented Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone arrested terrorist in the 26/11 Mumbai attracts case, before his a appointment as ‘defense lawyer’ was revoked by the Special Court hearing the case.
Who would have ever thought that Kazmi, a lawyer of 25 years standing, who has defended several accused in the 1993 bomb blasts case, and collected undeserved opprobrium for standing up to defend Kasab, has also acted in several Bollywood films and plays, including the famous movie ‘Rang’, while he was himself a judge in the television serial Your Honour! The 54-year-old lawyer, who obtained a law degree from KC College in 1980, lived in Saudi Arabia for many years as a consultant. During partition his uncle and aunt migrated to Pakistan, but Kazmi’s presents shifted to Mumbai from Lucknow. In 1993, Kazmi handled the brief for a few accused in the Mumbai serial blasts case. But the man who defended a UK national in a child abuse case in Goa, turned a global celebrity when he accepted special Judge M.L. Tahiliyani’s proposal to appoint him as ‘Kasab’s lawyer’ on April 15, 2009. We met him late in the evening at his office near Mahim Dargah this weekend, to know more about this actor, who quit Bollywood to join legal profession. “I was basically a very good actor and even today I can act. I acted in lots of played the character of Mark Anthony in Julius Caesar. Later, I got a chance to work in the film Rang. Then I played the role of a judge in the serial Your Honour. I was very happy when I was acting and used to admire all the big Bollywood stars,” Kazmi said.
So why did he leave the world of films, if he was so happy and doing well? Kazmi said, “I never wanted to leave Bollywood and acting. But it was not supposed to be a career. When my parents saw how much I was enjoying, they sent me to Saudi Arabia to take up a job. I stayed there for over 13 years and later I returned to Mumbai in 1991. Immediately after my return from Saudi, I took up the 1993 blasts case.”` This was his first tryst with a high-profile case, and Kazmi declares he did his best for his clients. “The case had more than 100 accused and no direct Pakistan involvement. But it was one that attracted a lot of attention for obvious reasons. In a way, 1993 helped to prepare me for 26/11. That was a case I enjoyed the most!” says the lawyer, who was often on the receiving end from political leaders and even the public, merely for defending Kasab. Kazmi confessed that initially he was never interested in the 26/11 attacks case. “I had seen the images of Kasab wielding arms and ammunition in various newspapers and news channels. When talks were on for appointment of a lawyer to defend Kasab, I was only concentrating on my other client’s case. I was taken aback when I read of news about the security arrangements made for the lone arrested terrorist. Special cell. ITBP police force, three-tier frisking and a special tunnel made to transport Kasab from the special court to his cell. One day I decided to go to the special court in Arthur Road to see the new changes, as I had spend almost 13 years of my legal career there during the 1993 blasts trial. The day I went. I learned that advocate Anjali Waghmare, who was Kasab’s lawyer, had been divested of the case. On that day in a meeting with the honorable judge and other members of the bar, I said that if no lawyer is coming forward to take up the case, then the court could consider me. All of a sudden, out of the blue, I was appointed by the respected judge. Kasab was merely informed about it,” he said.
During the 26/11 trial, Kazmi slept only for five hours daily and would spend most of his time making notes and preparing for the arguments for next day. “My wife Farah and children, Anah, Samah and Ali, were concerned about my security, but they also know me well. I am a bold person and they know my adventurous nature. I tell my children that when time demands they should rise up and be unafraid of taking up life’s challenges. I took up the case as the purely professional duty of a patriotic Indian. I haven’t haggled over money.”
However, Kazmi says that he was deeply hurt and distressed with the harassment meted out to him during the 26/11 trial. Recently, he approached the Bombay High Court agents special Judge M.L. Tahaliyani for contempt of court. “I was hurt the most, when the judge called me a liar. Then special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam equated Me with the main conspirator and described me as a ‘terrorist lawyer’. Nikam had also said should be honored with the highest civilian award of Pakistan ‘Nishan-Imtiaz’ for defending kasab during the trial proceeding.
“All this time, Judge Tahaliyani was sitting as a silent spectator in the court. The lawyer, who appears in court, is an officer of the court, and the judge, who conducts the trial, cannot humiliate a lawyer. When prosecution had submitted 340 affidavits of formal witnesses, I had objected to their submission and prayed to the court these all were not formal witnesses and hence they should be examined. Subsequently, the court had removed me from the case and appointed a new lawyer to defend Kasab. Was I being removed for merely defending my client properly?” Kazmi asked. Kazmi claims that the 26/11 trial has only given him bitterness. “Because I took up Kasab’s case, I was thrown out as a ‘Trustee’ of the Islam Gymkhana, even though I am still a member. I never expected that I would be harassed so much. Now, two more Muslims advocates Amin Solkar and Farthna shah have been appointed as kasab’s lawyers. Why don’t these Muslim organizations and clubs protest their appointment?” Kazmi said. Would he appear in other cases of terrorism if he had a chance? “Mein aisa hi hun (I am always like this.) I love accepting challenges and will accept any terror case given to me. I am not afraid of anyone. I do my work with professionalism and would fight back if anyone plays around with me,” he says.
