FIA withdraws plea; seeks only voice samples: access to accused, witnesses in Mumbai attack

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday withdrew its application demanding access to the accused and witnesses in the Mumbai terror attack in India, but has sought voice samples of the witnesses and the accused to match them with the material received from India.
The judge of the Anti Terrorist Court, Rawalpindi resumed the hearing of the Mumbai terrorist attacks in high security Adiala Central Jail, where the FIA counsel pleaded that the court should allow the FIA to get voice samples of the accused and witnesses to match them with the evidence India has provided.
During the hearing, the defence counsel pleaded before the court that he should be allowed to present 16 witnesses in the court to prove the innocence of the detained persons. The learned judge asked the prosecution and defence counsels to give their arguments on the application filed by the prosecution to form a judicial commission to send it to India to examine the witnesses of the case.
The prosecution lawyer urged the court that formation of the commission is essential to get the witnesses cross-examined. In his argument, the defence counsel disagreed with the prosecution saying this is a futile exercise, as India would not allow the judicial commission to examine the witnesses. He said this will be nothing but wastage of time and will prolong the imprisonment of the innocent people. The learned judge adjourned the hearing till October 2, 2010.