RAWALPINDI, Aug 30: An anti-terrorism court rejected on Monday the bail plea of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai attacks.

ATC-I Judge Malik Mohammad Akram Awan said arguments presented by Lakhvi's lawyer could not be accepted, adding that apparently there was enough evidence against the accused.

The judge observed that the trial had commenced and Lakhvi would be given chance to defend himself along with other accused but added that at this stage bail could not be granted to him.

Khawaja Sultan Ahmed, representing Lakhvi, said the only evidence against the accused was a confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab which had been recorded by Indian authorities and was not admissible in Pakistan.

He said the prosecution had cited five witnesses who are all policemen and there were no independent witnesses to state that Lakhvi had planned the November 2008 terrorist attacks.

The counsel said Lakhvi had no criminal record but had been in jail for one year and eight months.

Defence lawyer Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ahmed said there was ample evidence to get Lakhvi convicted of training and sending terrorists to India. Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid are the other accused facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks.