The Patiala House Court in Delhi on Monday granted permission to Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, to make a one-time phone call to his family. The court directed that the call must strictly adhere to Tihar jail regulations and be conducted under the supervision of a senior jail official, ensuring compliance with all security protocols.
The order was issued by Additional Sessions Judge (NIA) Chander Jit Singh, who also directed the Tihar jail authorities to submit a detailed health status report on Rana within the next 10 days. This comes after Rana raised concerns about his health during previous court hearings.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), in its response to the jail authorities, granted approval for the one-time phone call. However, the court further asked the jail administration to file a comprehensive report stating whether regular phone communication could be permitted for Rana in the future, based on provisions under the Jail Manual.
On Friday, the court had extended Tahawwur Rana’s judicial custody and scheduled his next hearing for July 9. Citing security concerns, he was produced via video conferencing. During the previous hearing, Rana personally addressed the court, requesting a hearing aid for a medical issue related to his ear.
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Earlier this month, the NIA obtained voice and handwriting samples from Rana following his extradition from the United States. According to his legal aid counsel, Advocate Piyush Sachdev, Rana fully cooperated with the procedures mandated by the court. The NIA had earlier told the court that Rana had been confronted with incriminating evidence linked to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The agency argued that he remained evasive during interrogation and failed to cooperate fully with investigators, which led to their request for extended custody. The NIA was represented by Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan and Special Public Prosecutor Narender Mann, while Advocate Piyush Sachdev appeared for the defence.
Tahawwur Rana, a 64-year-old Canadian businessman of Pakistani origin, was extradited to India in connection with his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, one of the deadliest terrorist incidents in India's history. The attacks, orchestrated by the Lashkar-e-Taiba, resulted in the death of over 170 people and injured hundreds more, targeting multiple high-profile locations across Mumbai.
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