26/11 Accused Tahawwur Rana moves Delhi court seeking to meet family, NIA receives notice

Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the infamous 26/11 Mumbai attacks, has requested to meet with his family, for which he has moved a Delhi court.

The 26/11 terror attacks accused has submitted an application requesting permission to communicate with his family members, according to reports.

In response, the Delhi Patiala House Court has issued a notice to the NIA regarding his plea. Rana moved a plea through his counsel on April 19 before special judge Hardeep Kaur

The court is scheduled to hear arguments on the matter on April 23.

The Pakistani-origin businessman was on April 10 sent to 18 day custody by a court.

NIA's allegations against Tahawwur Rana

The NIA alleged as a part of the criminal conspiracy, accused David Coleman Headley, had discussed the entire operation with Rana before his visit to India.

Anticipating potential challenges, Headley sent an email to Tahawwur Rana detailing his belongings and assets, the NIA told the court seeking his remand.

Headley also informed Rana about the involvement of Pakistani nationals Ilyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman, who are also accused in the case, in the plot, it alleged.

In an order passed on April 10, an NIA court said that Rana had identified New Delhi for attacks akin to the 26/11 strikes as part of a conspiracy that travelled beyond the geographical borders of India.

“The material produced on record reflect that the conspiracy in question travels beyond the geographical borders of India and multiple targets in the form of various places in multiple cities in India, including the national capital, were sought to be identified,” PTI reported, quoting special NIA judge Chander Jit Singh

Rana, the 64-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman and a close associate of 26/11 attacks main conspirator David Coleman Headley, a US citizen, was brought to India after the US Supreme Court on April 4 dismissed his review plea against his extradition.

On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage, carrying out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre, after they sneaked into India's financial capital using the sea route in the Arabian Sea.

As many as 166 people were killed in the nearly 60-hour assault.