Tihar authorities directed to respond to 26/11 mastermind Tahawwur Rana's plea to speak to family from jail
A Delhi court on Wednesday directed Tihar Jail authorities to submit a report in response to an application moved by Tahawwur Rana, the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack conspirator, seeking permission to speak to his family members while in judicial custody.
The court of Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit had in April dismissed a similar application moved by Rana when he was in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Rana is currently in judicial custody till June 6.
The NIA had opposed his first application, stating that the investigation was at a crucial stage and that the agency didn't want any interference. There was also an apprehension, said sources, that Rana might leak sensitive information related to the case.
For now, Rana is allowed to meet his lawyers every other day in the presence of NIA officials, who will be at a hearing distance. He will be provided with a pen and paper during the meeting.
The Pakistani-Canadian was arrested in Chicago in 2009, the year after the terror attacks in which 166 people were killed. He arrived in Delhi on April 10 following his extradition from the US.
According to the NIA, Rana was also involved in planning future attacks in India and had met Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative Abdur Rehman in Dubai ahead of the Mumbai attacks.
Rana is accused of aiding and abetting the reconnaissance carried out by LeT scout David Coleman Headley, with whom he went to school in Pakistan, for the 26/11 attacks and of participating in the conspiracy by providing crucial logistical support to the attackers. He was arrested in Chicago in 2009, months after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008, in which 166 people were killed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Hockey Canada sexual assault trial update: What's happened so far inside the Ontario courtroom
The Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, involving five former members of the 2018 World Junior team, nears its conclusion (Image credit: The Canadian Press) As the high-profile Hockey Canada sexual assault trial approaches its final arguments, the case has gripped public attention with unsettling allegations, conflicting witness testimonies, and unexpected courtroom disruptions. Five former members of Canada's 2018 World Junior hockey team—Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Cal Foote—stand accused, with McLeod facing an additional charge of party to the offense. All five men have pleaded not guilty. Early mistrials, jury dismissals, and a trial by judge alone Originally launched in April at Ontario Superior Court in London, the trial has faced multiple setbacks. Within three days of proceedings, Justice Maria Carroccia declared a mistrial. Later, a new jury was dismissed after a juror accused defense lawyers of inappropriate conduct. In response, Alex Formenton's lawyers said, 'No defense counsel would risk alienating a juror, and nothing could be further from the truth in this instance.' With both juries disbanded, the trial now proceeds under Carroccia's judgment alone. Complainant's emotional testimony lays out harrowing allegations Known only as E.M. due to a publication ban, the complainant delivered deeply emotional and graphic testimony. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo She recalled being highly intoxicated on the night in question, describing a sense of helplessness: 'I shut down and let my body do what it needed to do to be safe,' she told the court. She alleged that after consensual sex with McLeod, other players entered the hotel room and coerced her into sexual acts, including disturbing references to a golf club. E.M. also testified that Formenton had sex with her without consent in a bathroom and that Foote performed a lewd act over her face. While defense lawyers questioned the accuracy and consistency of her memory, E.M. insisted: 'It was not my choice to have what happened to me.' Only Carter Hart testified among the accused, stating, 'She seemed to be enjoying it… she was laughing.' Other former teammates, like Tyler Steenbergen and Brett Howden, echoed claims that E.M. was a willing participant, though Howden's 'gaps in memory' drew scrutiny from the Crown. Also Read: Hockey Canada assault trial nears end amid emotional testimonies and graphic courtroom revelations The trial resumes Monday, with final submissions set to determine the fate of a case that has rocked Canadian hockey culture to its core.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Body of Charkhi Dadri youth found in Canada, family demands probe
The family of 22-year-old Sahil Kumar, whose body was found in a Lake in Canada, has urged the Canadian government to probe the death from murder angle. Sahil Kumar, of Charkhi Dadri's Dohka village, went to Canada on a study visa in April and enrolled in Humber College. He went to college on May 17 after which he went missing. His uncle Mukesh Kumar said the Hamilton police had recovered the body of Sahil from a lake on May 27 and later his identification was done. 'We can't accept that he drowned to death because he was a good swimmer. His body will be brought back to India within two days. We urge the Indian government to raise the issue with their Canadian counterpart. The government should provide some financial assistance to the family as his father Harish Kumar, a retired army personnel, spent his entire savings of ₹40 lakh in sending him abroad,' he added.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Canada calling
Ottawa must take action against Khalistani groups to bring ties with New Delhi fully back on track Ending days of speculation, Canadian PM Mark Carney has finally extended an invitation to Modi for the upcoming G7 summit. Carney now says that India is a must at the global high table since it is critical to global supply chains and other important geopolitical matters. Odds are that India and Canada will now be on the right path after a rough phase under the previous Canadian administration led chaotically by Justin Trudeau. That said, Ottawa must know that full restoration of positive ties will depend on it taking appropriate action against Khalistani elements involved in anti-India plots. It is precisely because Trudeau refused to acknowledge this issue – thanks in large part to pro-Khalistan Jagmeet Singh being his coalition partner – that ties between New Delhi and Ottawa soured in the first place. And when Trudeau, without a shred of evidence, blamed Indian govt agents for the death of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, it was the last straw. Thankfully, Carney says that law enforcement dialogue between the two sides is now back on track. This is good. But given the political clout that Khalistanis in Canada have come to enjoy over both major parties in that country, sensitivity towards India's legitimate concerns risks being piecemeal. Note that following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, India has enunciated a new, tough position on terrorism. This is non-negotiable. And there is sufficient evidence that Khalistani groups have been coordinating with Pakistan-sponsored extremist outfits. A 2021 Hudson Institute study highlighted interlinked Khalistani and Kashmiri groups that potentially receive funding, support and military training from Pakistan. Hence, there are serious Indian security concerns at play. For Canada, mutually beneficial ties with India make sense today given how the Trump administration has upended Washington-Ottawa ties. Add to this Trump's propensity to weaponise tariffs, and both India and Canada have enough reasons to cooperate on trade. Canada is a natural resources powerhouse. India needs those resources to power its own growth. Plus, the two can play a significant role in the Arctic where a strategic scramble for resources is already underway. Canada, as the current G7 chair, played to its self-interest too to invite Modi for the summit – he's been a regular since 2019. The people-to-people equation between India and Canada already has a strong foundation, thanks to the Indian Diaspora. It's time to get the strategic dimension of the relationship right. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
