A Delhi court on Monday reserved its decision on a request by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to extend the custody of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, by 12 more days.
Rana was brought before special NIA judge Chander Jit Singh after completing his 18 days in NIA custody. He appeared with heavy security around him and his face covered.
The judge is expected to announce the decision soon. Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan and special public prosecutor Narender Mann likely represented the NIA during a private hearing inside the judge’s chambers. Advocate Piyush Sachdeva from the Delhi Legal Services Authority represented Rana.
Earlier, the court had sent Rana to 18 days of NIA custody. In that order, the judge had also instructed the NIA to conduct Rana’s medical check-up every 24 hours and allow him to meet his lawyer every alternate day.
The judge also said that Rana could only use a "soft-tip pen" and could meet his lawyer in the presence of NIA officials, who must stay far enough to be out of hearing distance.
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During Monday’s hearing, the NIA said they needed more time to fully uncover the conspiracy behind the 26/11 attacks. They also said Rana must be taken to different places to trace the events that happened 17 years ago.
Rana is known to be a close associate of David Coleman Headley, also known as Daood Gilani, a U.S. citizen and one of the main conspirators behind the 26/11 attacks. He was brought to India after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his appeal against extradition on April 4.
On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 terrorists from Pakistan attacked Mumbai. They targeted a railway station, two luxury hotels, and a Jewish center after entering the city by sea through the Arabian Sea. The attack lasted nearly 60 hours and killed 166 people.
Also Read: Tahawwur Rana denied phone access to family by court
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