Delhi court denies Tahawwur Rana's plea to talk with family members during NIA custody
A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed the plea of jailed 26/11 terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana seeking to talk to his family members.
Rana argued through his lawyer that talking to his family members was his fundamental right, and they must be concerned about his well-being during custody in India.
Also read | Tahawwur Rana 'talking' as money trail in questioning focus
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is grilling Rana to unearth the larger conspiracy behind the Mumbai attack, opposed his plea and contended that the accused could share crucial information if allowed to speak with his family members. It also informed the court, without giving details, that its investigation is at a crucial stage.
'Not allowed,' special Judge Chander Jit Singh held after hearing the arguments.
Rana was extradited from the U.S. after a protracted legal battle and was remanded to 18-day NIA custody on April 11.
Rana is being held under custody in a highly secured jail at the NIA's head office at the CGO complex in New Delhi. As reported by HT earlier, he is allowed to meet a lawyer provided by the Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) every alternate day and undergo a medical examination every 48 hours.
The accused, a former Pakistan captain, was provided with the Quran, a pen and paper as per request and is being treated as any other accused without special treatment.
According to the agency, the Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman had discussed the entire operation with his childhood friend and co-accused David Coleman Headley, an American national, before he visited India. Headley is currently serving time in a US prison for his role in the plot.
The American national also informed Rana about the involvement of Pakistani nationals Ilyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman, who are also accused in the case over the plot, the NIA alleged.
Officials are hoping that new leads from Rana would help uncover the involvement of Pakistan in the attack. As many as 166 people were killed in the nearly 60-hour assault by ten terrorists who went on a rampage in Mumbai, targeting several key locations.
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