NEW DELHI: Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, is not cooperating with investigators and is giving evasive answers, according to Mumbai Police. A team from the Mumbai Crime Branch questioned Rana for over eight hours in Delhi on Wednesday but reported that the 64-year-old provided little assistance in advancing the investigation.
Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman and close associate of David Coleman Headley, the US citizen who played a key role in the 2008 attacks, was recently extradited from the United States to India. He is currently in custody facing multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, including conspiracy, terrorism, forgery, and waging war.
On Thursday, the Patiala house court in Delhi had dismissed a plea filed by Rana seeking permission to speak with his family over the phone. His legal counsel, Piyush Sachdeva, argued that, as a foreign national, Rana had a fundamental right to communicate with his family, who were concerned about his well-being.
However, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed the request, warning that Rana might disclose sensitive information during such communication. Special NIA Judge Chander Jit Singh dismissed the plea, citing the ongoing sensitive nature of the investigation.
Earlier, during a remand hearing, the court highlighted evidence suggesting a large-scale terror conspiracy that stretched beyond India’s borders, targeting multiple cities including New Delhi. The court stressed the seriousness of the charges and the need for sustained custodial interrogation, noting Rana must be confronted with witnesses, forensic evidence, and documents related to reconnaissance activities.
The court also authorised an 18-day police custody remand, mandating that Rana’s medical condition be monitored every 48 hours in line with sovereign assurances made during the extradition process. The court further stated that the investigating agency must be given a fair opportunity to conduct a thorough inquiry, particularly given the threats to national security implicated by the case.
Officials have indicated that Rana may be taken to several locations connected to the original 26/11 plot to help reconstruct the sequence of events and expose the wider terror network.
The 26/11 attacks, carried out by ten Pakistani terrorists who infiltrated Mumbai via the Arabian Sea, killing 166 people, in a devastating 60-hour siege.
