Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 28: A Special NIA court in Delhi on Monday granted a 12-day extension of custody to Pakistani-Canadian national Tahawwur Rana, allowing the federal anti-terror agency more time to interrogate him regarding his alleged involvement in the deadly 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 166 lives.
Special Judge Charan Jit Singh accepted the plea made by Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan, representing the NIA, who argued that further questioning was necessary to fully uncover Rana’s role in the attacks.
Rana, 64, was brought to the heavily secured Patiala House Court near India Gate in the afternoon, his face concealed by a black hood and surrounded by heavily armed security personnel.
His initial 18-day remand period concluded on Monday, leading to his presentation in court for the extension of his NIA custody.
During the court proceedings, the NIA informed the Special Judge about Rana’s alleged evasive tactics during the interrogation. The agency also expressed its intention to take Rana to various other cities to reconstruct the sequence of events during his visits to India prior to the terror attacks.
During the previous hearing, the court had directed the NIA to conduct medical tests on Rana every 24 hours and permit him to speak with his lawyers every other day.
During his 18-day remand, Rana was also questioned by officers from the Mumbai Police. During the interrogation, Rana reportedly claimed to have "no connection whatsoever" with the planning or execution of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
He further asserted that his childhood friend and co-accused, David Coleman Headley, was solely responsible for the reconnaissance and planning aspects of the attacks. Headley, who became an approver in the case, had previously admitted to conducting reconnaissance missions across India, including in Mumbai, on behalf of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group.
During questioning, Rana also revealed that apart from Mumbai and Delhi, he had travelled to Kerala. When questioned about the purpose of his Kerala visit, he claimed it was to meet a known acquaintance, providing the individual's name and address to the NIA. Following this disclosure, sources indicate that a team from the Mumbai Crime Branch may soon travel to Kerala to verify Rana's claims and question the said individual.
Rana, a former officer in the Pakistan Army’s Medical Corps, was recently extradited to India from the United States to face legal proceedings in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks.