Hearing on Mumbai Attack Mastermind Tahawwur Rana's Petition Today

The court will hear the petition of Tahawwur Rana, accused of masterminding the Mumbai attacks, who has requested permission to communicate with his family. The proceedings are being closely watched for further developments.

The petition of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana will be heard today in Delhi's Patiala House Court. Rana has sought permission to talk to his family. Special NIA Judge Chandra Jeet Singh will hear the case. The court had rejected Tahawwur Rana's petition on 24 April. Rana's lawyer Piyush Sachdeva had argued that as a foreign citizen he has the right to talk to his family, and the family is worried about his health.

However, the NIA opposed it in the context of the investigation, resulting in the court rejecting the petition. Rana, who is in NIA custody till July 9, was extended for 12 days in the last hearing held on 28 April. It is noteworthy that the NIA brought Rana from the US to India on April 10, and his extradition was done under 'Operation Rana'.

Tahavvur Rana was arrested by the FBI in Chicago, USA in October 2009. He was accused of providing the necessary material for the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai and Copenhagen. On April 23, Rana was questioned for eight hours, in which he evaded answering questions and did not cooperate. On April 26, officials said that Mumbai Police Crime Branch officials questioned Rana at the NIA office in Delhi.

The petition was rejected earlier too

Special Judge Chander Jeet Singh on April 24 rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to talk to his family. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed this petition, saying that if Rana talks to his family, he can share sensitive information related to national security.

Rana has been brought to India from America, serious allegations have been leveled

Recently, former Pakistan Army Medical Corps officer Tahawwur Rana has been extradited from America to India. He is accused of plotting the horrific terrorist attack in Mumbai on 26 November 2008, which killed 166 people and injured hundreds.

Tahawwur Rana, 64, is a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin who served as a doctor in the Pakistani Army. In 1997, he moved to Canada and started working as a businessman in the field of immigration services there. After this, Rana reached the US and set up a consultancy firm called “First World Immigration Services” in various places including Chicago. According to US court documents, Rana has traveled to Canada, Pakistan, Germany and England several times and is able to speak about seven languages.