The trial of Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested in the Mumbai terror attacks, will begin in the court at Arthur road Central jail on April 15, a special court said here today.
The court, while announcing the beginning of the trial, extended the judicial custody of Kasab and two other accused, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, till April 15.
More than 180 people were killed in the terror attacks on November 26 last.
Kasab, who had earlier told the trial court hearing the Mumbai attacks case that he does not understand English, today said he understands the language.
Kasab, who appeared before the court on television in a video conference, was seen patiently hearing the conversation between Judge M L Tahilyani and Jailor Swati Sathe in English.
The judge was telling the jailor that the trial would begin on April 15 in the special court at Arthur Road central prison and that she should allow the accused to hand over the copies of the chargesheet to the defence lawyers.
The judge then asked Kasab whether he understood his dialogue with the jailor.
"Yes", Kasab said in Hindi with a broad smile and confident look on his face. "I have understood very well".
"If you understand English then why have you demanded copy of the chargesheet in Urdu"?, the judge asked.
"In Urdu, I can understand better", said Kasab, who was wearing a dark blue T-shirt and seated on a chair with the jailor and two constables standing behind him.
For the first time, Kasab was found smiling throughout the court proceedings and appeared to be very comfortable.
To a suggestion by the judge, Kasab said he would hand over the copy of chargesheet to his lawyer Anjali Waghmare who has been appointed by the court to defend him in the trial.
Kasab had last month demaded the Urdu translation of the 11,000 page chargesheet as he was unable to understand it as it was in English and Marathi.
