Tahawwur Rana’s Detention Extended: 26/11 Accused Remains Uncooperative
26/11 Plotter’s Detention Extended
The NIA court in New Delhi has decided to keep Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in custody for another 12 days. This decision came after Rana, a Pakistan-born Canadian national, appeared before the court with his face covered, under tight security.
Rana was extradited to India from Canada on April 10th and has been in NIA custody for 18 days. He’s been uncooperative during questioning, offering vague responses when Mumbai Police interrogated him last week. Despite this, the NIA is determined to understand the full scope of the conspiracy behind the 26/11 attacks, and they hope to take Rana to various locations to reconstruct events from 17 years ago.
Court Proceedings and Security Measures
The court has imposed several restrictions on Rana’s interactions, including limiting his writing tools to a ‘soft-tip pen’. He’s also only allowed to meet his lawyer with NIA officials present, though they must be positioned far enough away that they can’t hear the conversation.
Rana’s legal representation is being handled by Advocate Piyush Sachdeva from Delhi Legal Services Authority, while the NIA is represented by Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan and special public prosecutor Narender Mann.
The 26/11 Attacks
The 2008 Mumbai attacks saw ten Pakistani militants infiltrate India’s financial hub via the Arabian Sea. They carried out coordinated strikes on a railway station, two luxury hotels, and a Jewish centre. The assault lasted nearly 60 hours and resulted in the tragic deaths of 166 people.
Rana is closely linked to the primary plotter of the attacks, David Coleman Headley (also known as Daood Gilani, a US national). His extradition to India followed the US Supreme Court rejecting his appeal in April.
