**The trial of the main suspect in the Mumbai (Bombay) attacks should proceed despite his change of plea to guilty, prosecutors say.**They made the submission as proceedings resumed in court on Wednesday. On Monday Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab admitted his role in the attack.
The court must decide whether to accept the guilty plea. Prosecutors say it may be an attempt to secure leniency.
More than 170 people died in the attacks, nine of them gunmen.
Mr Qasab, who is a Pakistani, faces 86 charges, including waging war on India, murder and possessing explosives.
In May, he had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
‘Three possibilities’
On Monday, Mr Qasab said he had decided to confess voluntarily because Pakistan had finally admitted he was a Pakistani citizen. The confession took everyone by surprise, most notably his own lawyers.
MAIN QASAB CHARGES
- Waging war on India
- Murder
- Conspiracy to murder
- Destabilising the government
- Kidnap
- Robbery
- Smuggling and possessing illegal arms and explosives
Attackers’ bodies still unclaimed
Proceedings were adjourned on Tuesday after the prosecution said it needed more time to study the confession.
Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said he wanted to provide a detailed response to different points made in the confession.
The BBC’s Prachi Pinglay, who is in court, says the judge wants to decide whether the confession was made voluntarily and whether there were any loopholes in his statement.
Adjourning the hearing on Tuesday, Judge Tahiliyani explained the options open to him.
“There are three possibilities - the plea can be accepted, or it can be rejected. The third is, the plea can be taken on record and the trial will continue,” he said.
“I cannot decide right now. I will decided after hearing the prosecution and the defence,” the judge concluded.
Legal experts have said that if the judge does finally accept the testimony in court, then the trial will end soon and the court will pronounce a sentence.
Mr Qasab could face the death penalty if the judge agrees to impose the maximum penalty.
Tensions
Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, 21, was arrested on the first day of the attacks and has been in Indian custody ever since.
The attacks led to a worsening of relationship between India and Pakistan.
India accused Pakistan-based fighters from the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba of carrying out the attacks.
In the immediate aftermath of the killings, Pakistan denied any responsibility, but later admitted the attacks had been partly planned on its soil.
Islamabad also eventually admitted that Mr Qasab was a Pakistani citizen.