Delhi court turns down Tahawwur Rana's plea to interact with family

New Delhi, April 24 (IANS) A court here on Thursday turned down 26/11 Mumbai attack plotter Tahawwur Rana’s plea to talk to his family members. Special Judge Chander Jit Singh rejected Rana's application seeking permission to speak with his family members as they must be worried about his well-being.

During the course of the hearing, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed the application, contending he could share crucial information with family members if allowed to meet them.

Rana, a former Pakistan Army Medical Corps officer and the key conspirator in the deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, was remanded to 18-day custody of the anti-terror agency on April 11.

A day before, he was flown to New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on a special flight from Los Angeles following his extradition from the United States.

Upon his arrival in the capital, Rana was formally arrested by the NIA team after completion of all legal formalities.

The NIA, in a statement, confirmed that Rana’s extradition was the result of “years of sustained and concerted efforts” by Indian authorities.

He had been in US judicial custody following the initiation of extradition proceedings under the India-US Extradition Treaty.

The process involved multiple legal battles in American courts, including an emergency appeal to the US Supreme Court, all of which were ultimately rejected.

The agency acknowledged the “active assistance” of several American institutions, including the US Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the US Marshals Service, the FBI’s Legal Attache in New Delhi, and the US State Department’s legal office.

The Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs also played critical roles in pursuing Rana’s surrender warrant and coordinating efforts with their US counterparts.

Rana’s extradition and arrest marked a significant development in India's ongoing mission to hold accountable all those involved in the planning and execution of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which claimed 166 lives and left hundreds injured.

The NIA has been interrogating Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin who had been residing in Chicago, to gather more insights into the conspiracy and uncover links to other individuals involved in the attack.

--IANS

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