Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, May 25: A Karwar-based lawyer has come forward to defend the three alleged Hawala operators, Rakesh Patel (30) from Bangalore, Rahul (21) and Ravi Shukvani(28) from Delhi, who are in judicial custody in connection with the advocate Naushad Kashimji murder case. The three are facing charges of routing a sum of five lac rupees through the Hawala channel, to the murderers of city-based advocate Naushad Kashimji.

It may be recalled that the lawyers of the district had resolved not to defend the killers of Naushad. Through calls made to some publications, a person who identified himself as Madoor Isubu too, had threatened to kill any lawyer who defends Naushad's killers. Three persons who are accused of being directly involved in the above murder and three more, who had abetted the murder, are in judicial custody since about a month. No lawyer has come forward to represent them till now.

In fact, the three alleged hawala operators neither knew the murderers nor were aware that the money was meant for murder. Still, the lawyers here stuck to their stand of not filing affidavits on behalf of the accused, as the operators are linked with the said murder. The three alleged Hawala operators, who are in the local jail since about ten days, have now sought permission from the court to hire a lawyer from outside the district to defend them.