S G Abbas Kazmi, the lawyer for 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, was sacked by Special Judge M.L. Tahaliyani on Monday. The sudden move comes three days after Kazmi submitted an unconditional apology for "lying".

The court cited non-cooperation on the part of Kazmi while removing him.

Special Judge Tahaliyani, who is presiding over the trial, ordered that the case would now be handled by Kazmi's assistant -- lawyer K P Pawar, also a state appointee in the most high-profile legal trial in the country.

Kazmi had been appointed by the state to represent Pakistani national Kasab, the sole terrorist caught alive in the attack.

Kazmi had last week been accused of telling a "lie" in the Special Court, prompting the judge to reprimand him sternly for his wayward behaviour with a threat to remove him. The judge had even called him a liar.

Last Friday, however, Kazmi tendered an unconditional apology before the Special Court and was allowed to continue, with the judge saying he wanted the issue to be resolved in an amicable manner.