NIA court extends custody of 26/11 plotter Tahawwur Rana for 12 days (WATCH)

A Delhi court on Monday extended the NIA custody of 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana by 12-days.

26/11 attacks accused Tahawwur Rana (face covered) taken to court (Photo/ANI)

A Delhi court on Monday extended the National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody of 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana by 12-days. Rana was produced before special NIA judge Chander Jit Singh on expiry of his 18-day NIA custody amid tight security and with his face covered.

Tahawwur Rana was recently extradited from the United States to India. The legal team of the central investigative agency, led by senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, was present in the courtroom.

Scroll to load tweet…

This comes after Mumbai Police Crime Branch officials questioned 26/11 attack mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana at the NIA office in Delhi, officials said on Saturday.

Rana questioned

According to Mumbai Police officials, Rana was questioned for eight hours on Wednesday, during which he gave evasive answers and did not cooperate.

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian, is a former military doctor with an alleged history of involvement in terror-related activities.

Earlier, the Patiala House Court of Delhi dismissed a plea filed by Tahawwur Rana, seeking permission to speak with his family over the phone.

Special NIA Judge Chander Jit Singh on Thursday decided to dismiss his petition.
Rana's legal counsel, Piyush Sachdeva, had argued that as a foreign national, he has the fundamental right to communicate with his family, who are anxious about his treatment while in custody.

However, the NIA opposed the request, citing the ongoing investigation and expressing concerns that Rana might divulge sensitive information.

Rana faces multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including conspiracy, terrorism, forgery, and waging war. The court noted that under extradition laws, he can only be prosecuted for offences explicitly sanctioned in the extradition agreement.

Furthermore, since Sections 16 and 18 of the UAPA apply, extended police custody beyond standard Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) limitations may be permitted due to the terrorism-related nature of the case. 

(With inputs from ANI)