New Delhi: A special NIA court in New Delhi has prolonged the judicial custody of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key suspect in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, until September 8.
Rana, who holds Pakistani-Canadian citizenship, is known as a close ally of David Coleman Headley (also known as Dawood Gilani), the primary conspirator in the 26/11 assaults and a U.S. national. He was extradited from the United States following the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of his extradition review petition on April 4.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) presented Rana through video conferencing after his prior custody period concluded on August 13. The proceedings are now focused on examining documents related to a supplementary chargesheet submitted by the agency.
Also read: NIA Records Voice, Handwriting Samples of 26/11Terror Attack Tahawwur Rana
On July 15, the court considered Rana’s request for a phone conversation with his family.
Rana is charged with conspiring to commit murder, waging war against the nation, and orchestrating terrorist activities under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The NIA claims he collaborated with Headley, who remains incarcerated in the U.S. for his role in the attacks.
Authorities anticipate that Rana could reveal details about pre-attack surveillance trips to various Indian cities, his interactions with Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives, and potential connections to leaders of LeT, Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami, and Pakistan’s ISI intelligence agency.
Also read: NIA Records Voice, Handwriting Samples of 26/11Terror Attack Tahawwur Rana
The devastating November 26, 2008, attacks involved 10 Pakistani militants who struck a train station, two high-end hotels, and a Jewish center in Mumbai after arriving by sea. The assault, which lasted nearly 60 hours, claimed 166 lives, including foreign nationals, and was halted by National Security Guard commandos. Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving attacker, was found guilty in May 2010 of waging war against India among other offenses and executed in November 2012.