26/11 terror attack: What measures taken so far, Bombay high court asks state

Eighteen months after the November 26 terror attack, the Bombay high court on Thursday seemed far from impressed with the government’s measures to prevent similar attacks in future.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate VP Patil urging the court to direct the Centre and the state government to take adequate preventive measures and take action against all officials — including the national security advisor — whose lapses led to the 60-hour mayhem in the city on November 26, 2008.

“Why are you taking this so lightly?” the court asked the government counsels. Justice Ranjana Desai and justice VK Tahilramani asked the government counsels about the setting up of a National Security Guard (NSG) unit in Mumbai. “Commando presence must be there in Mumbai,” Desai said.

The central government counsel informed the court that a commando unit was in operation in Mumbai and the NSG has been training local commandos too.

The judges also questioned the government lawyers about the availability of infrastructure for the functioning of the forces. The judges specifically asked about the availability of helicopters to ferry commandos from one place to another. The petitioner informed the court that the NSG commandos did not have a plane or helicopter to bring them to Mumbai on November 26, 2008, when the terrorists attacked.

The court had asked the state government last year to file an affidavit about the steps taken to counter such attacks. But till date no affidavit has been filed. Desai directed the government to file an affidavit in two weeks.