26/11 Mumbai attack: Delhi court extends Tahawwur Rana’s NIA custody for 12 days

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday extended by 12 more days the NIA custody of 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana.

Special NIA judge Chander Jit Singh extended Rana’s custody on NIA’s request after his previous 18-day remand got over. Rana was produced in court with his face covered amid tight security. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said Rana had to be confronted with various evidences, including “voluminous documents” which required his further interrogation.

The probe agency also apprised the judge in an in-chamber proceeding about its investigation in the last 18-days since it was granted Rana’s custody. The NIA, represented by senior advocate Dayan Krishnan and special public prosecutor Narender Mann, accused Rana of not cooperating in the investigation.

Advocate Piyush Sachdeva from Delhi Legal Services Authority represented Rana.

The NIA has claimed before the court that Rana planned several plots similar to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to target multiple Indian cities, including Delhi.

In its previous remand order, the court directed the NIA to conduct Rana’s medical examination every 24 hours.

The court allowed Rana to use only a “soft-tip pen” and meet his lawyer in the presence of the NIA officials, who would be out of an audible distance.

Rana, a close associate of 26/11 main conspirator David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen, was brought to India after the US Supreme Court on April 4 dismissed his review plea against his extradition to India.

On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage, carrying out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre, after they sneaked into India’s financial capital using the sea route in the Arabian Sea