26/11 attack case: Court seeks detailed reply from NIA on Tahawur Rana's plea for telephonic conversation
Rana is alleged to be the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai Attack and is currently in judicial custody after NIA interrogation. He was extradited from the United States in April of this year.
Earlier, he was allowed to have a telephonic conversation with his family only once.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Chander Jit Singh, after hearing oral submissions, asked the agency to file a detailed reply. The matter was listed for hearing on August 1.
Meanwhile, the jail authorities informed the court that he has been provided a bed. Legal Aid Counsel Piyush Sachdev appeared for Tahawur Rana. He confirmed that the detailed reply has been sought.
On July 15, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sought time to respond to a plea moved by Tahawur Rana, seeking regular telephonic conversations with his family. Jail authorities have filed their response.
The court had allowed a plea of Rana seeking a direction to provide a bed and a mattress in Tihar Jail. The jail authorities had opposed the plea by submitting that, as per jail rules, inmates aged 65 or more can be provided a bed. Rana has attained the age of 65.
On the other hand, it was submitted on behalf of Rana that he is 64 years 6 months and has medical issues. After considering the submissions, the court had allowed Rana's plea.
Additionally, the NIA informed the court that it has provided the complete medical history of Rana to the Jail authorities.
Earlier, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on July 9 filed a supplementary charge sheet against Tahawur Rana in the 26/11 Mumbai terror case.
The court had extended the judicial custody of Rana till August 13. This supplementary charge sheet contains procedural documents like arrest memo, seizure memo and other documents, Rana's counsel Piyush Sachdev had told ANI.
The main charge sheet was filed by the NIA in December 2011.
On June 9, the Court had granted Tahawwur Rana permission to make a single phone call to his family for the time being. The call was strictly conducted in accordance with jail regulations and under the supervision of a senior official from the Tihar jail authorities.
Recently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) collected voice and handwriting samples from Rana, who was extradited from the United States.
The NIA had previously informed the court that Rana was confronted with substantial evidence related to the 26/11 attacks. The agency argued for further custody, citing his evasive behaviour during questioning and lack of cooperation. Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan and Special Public Prosecutor Narender Mann represented the NIA in the proceedings, while Advocate Piyush Sachdeva defended Rana.
64-year-old Canadian businessman of Pakistani origin, Rana, was extradited recently in connection with his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The devastating attack, orchestrated by Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed over 170 lives and left hundreds injured. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
24 minutes ago
- Global News
2 people, including child, die in separate Ontario drownings Saturday: OPP
Two people, including a three-year-old, died in separate drownings in Ontario on Saturday, as one expert warns that July often sees the highest number of drownings in Canadian water. Ontario Provincial Police are investigating after emergency services were called to Mille Roches Beach in Long Sault around 5:45 p.m. regarding a child with no vital signs. A statement from police said off-duty medical professionals were attempting to resuscitate the child who was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead. Separately, police said emergency services responded to a residence on River Road East in Wasaga Beach at approximately 1:05 p.m. after reports of a missing kayaker. They said a 24-year-old man from Toronto had been kayaking with two others when their boat overturned. The Wasaga Beach Fire Department located the man and started resuscitation efforts before he was taken to hospital and later pronounced dead. Story continues below advertisement Neither of the identities were released out of respect for the families. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Police are also investigating the death of another three-year-old who drowned at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Thursday. OPP at the time said the number of drownings in eastern Ontario this year is more than double what it was by this time in 2024. Stephanie Bakalar, a spokesperson for Lifesaving Society, said in an interview that July is often the month with the highest number of drownings across the country as people look to cool down amid hotter temperatures, with most instances occurring in natural bodies of water. Saturday marked the final day of Drowning Prevention Week in Canada, and Bakalar offered some general tips for staying safe around the water. 'Depending on the different age groups, we have slightly different risk factors, but generally pretty much the same things,' she said. Bakalar said that swimming or boating alone is a significant risk factor for both older and younger adults. For those above the age of 65, she said about 70 per cent of drowning deaths happen while individuals are swimming alone. For children under the age of five, she said, drowning most often occurs while 'supervision was either absent or distracted.' Story continues below advertisement 'I think it's really important for especially parents and caregivers, anyone who's taking kids near the water, to understand that drowning is fast and it is silent,' Bakalar said. She said someone supervising a child should be within an arm's reach and remain hyper vigilant. 'If you can't get to your child in a moment, if you cannot reach out and grab them, you are too far away from them, and the unthinkable can happen that quickly,' Bakalar said. When boating, she said it is always important to wear a life-jacket. 'About 90 per cent of the drowning deaths in Ontario, specifically, while people were boating, which includes powerboats, canoes, and kayaks. the victims were not wearing life-jackets,' Bakalar said. Staying sober when swimming or supervising someone else can increase safety, according to Bakalar. She also noted that swimming in a lifeguard-supervised setting can help people stay safe as they look to cool off amid hotter temperatures. 'We are never immune to drowning if we don't take layers of protection. So it's knowing how to swim. It's wearing the life-jacket. It's being with someone else,' Bakalar said.
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Pakistani security forces kill 3 militants linked to 2024 attack on Chinese in Karachi
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani security forces in an overnight raid killed three suspected militants accused of orchestrating last year's attack in which two Chinese nationals working in a textile mill in the southern port city of Karachi were wounded, officials said on Monday. Azad Khan, a senior official with the Counter-Terrorism Department, said the dead insurgents included the alleged mastermind of the November 2024 attack.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Pakistani security forces kill 3 militants linked to 2024 attack on Chinese in Karachi
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani security forces in an overnight raid killed three suspected militants accused of orchestrating last year's attack in which two Chinese nationals working in a textile mill in the southern port city of Karachi were wounded, officials said on Monday. Azad Khan, a senior official with the Counter-Terrorism Department, said the dead insurgents included the alleged mastermind of the November 2024 attack. He identified that person only as Zafran and said he was from the Pakistani Taliban, who are known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP and are allies of the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan in 2021. China has repeatedly pressed Pakistan to improve security for its nationals working on major infrastructure projects under Beijing's multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which include roads, railways and power plants. Chinese nationals have increasingly come under attack by militant groups, including TTP and the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army — banned by the Pakistani authorities and also designated as terrorist groups by the United States. Pakistan has pledged to bolster security measures for Chinese workers, including those employed at private factories. Meanwhile, at least seven people were killed the previous day in Tirah Valley, a district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Fiaz Khan, a local government official, said. He said the violence erupted when hundreds of residents gathered outside a military camp to demand protection and justice after a child was killed in a mortar attack on the weekend. The crowd came under gunfire from 'unknown gunmen,' Khan said. He said the demonstrators accused security forces of opening fire when some people were throwing stones at the military camp, but police had yet to determine whose bullets caused the deaths. Khan said gunfire was also reported from nearby hills, and police suspect TTP may have been behind the shooting to sow discord between residents and the military. The government has ordered a probe into the killings of demonstrators, he said. ___ Associated Press writer Riaz Khan contributed to this story from Peshawar, Pakistan.
