Delhi Court Extends 26/11 Attack Accused Tahawwur Rana's Custody By 12 Days As NIA Alleges Uncooperative Behaviour

On Monday (28 April), a court in Delhi approved the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) request to extend the custody of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, for an additional 12 days, the Hindustan Times reported.

Upon the conclusion of his 18-day NIA detention, Rana was presented before the special NIA judge, Chander Jit Singh, under heavy security and his face concealed. 

Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan and special public prosecutor Narender Mann, who advocated for the NIA, presented their arguments for custody in an in-chamber proceeding. Meanwhile, Rana's representation in the case is being handled by Advocate Piyush Sachdeva from the Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA). 

The NIA asserted that they needed Rana's custody to fully comprehend the extent of the conspiracy. They maintained that it was necessary to take him to different locations to retrace the incidents that occurred 17 years prior. Furthermore, the NIA accused Rana of being uncooperative in the investigation. 

The investigative agency has asserted in court that Rana orchestrated numerous schemes akin to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, aiming to target several Indian cities, including Delhi, the Hindustan Times mentioned.

In the most recent decree, the judge instructed the NIA to carry out a health check-up on Rana every 24 hours and granted him permission to consult with his attorney every other day. 

The court permitted Rana to only utilise a "soft-tip pen" and to confer with his attorney in the company of NIA officials, who would maintain a distance beyond the range of the hearing. 

Rana, who is closely linked to David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, the primary conspirator of the 26/11 attack and a US citizen, was extradited to India after his review plea against extradition was dismissed by the US Supreme Court on 4 April.