New Delhi [India]: Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks (26/11) conspiracy case, has filed a fresh application before the Patiala House Court seeking permission to communicate with his family while in judicial custody.
Rana, currently held in New Delhi following his extradition from the United States, has requested access to jail-authorized communication facilities, in line with the applicable prison regulations. The plea will be heard on Tuesday by Special NIA Judge Chander Jit Singh.
Background and Legal Proceedings
Earlier, the court had denied a similar plea by Rana during his custody with the National Investigation Agency (NIA). His legal counsel, Advocate Piyush Sachdeva, argued that as a foreign national, Rana holds a fundamental right to contact his family, who remain concerned about his condition in custody.
The NIA had opposed the request, raising concerns over ongoing investigations and the potential risk of sensitive information being disclosed through such communication.
Recently, Rana cooperated with court directives by submitting voice and handwriting samples. The NIA collected his handwriting specimens—comprising alphabetic and numeric characters—and voice recordings, as part of forensic evaluation.
Ongoing Investigation and Charges
Rana, a 64-year-old Canadian businessman of Pakistani origin, is suspected of involvement in planning the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which claimed over 170 lives and injured hundreds. The attacks, orchestrated by Lashkar-e-Taiba, targeted multiple locations across Mumbai including hotels, a railway station, and a Jewish center.
The NIA alleges that Rana had connections with David Headley, another key conspirator in the case, and facilitated reconnaissance activities used in planning the attacks.
Following his extradition, Rana was placed under NIA custody in Delhi, where his role is under detailed investigation as part of India’s broader effort to bring all perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks to justice.