New Delhi: A city court on Wednesday (May 28) issued notice to the Tihar Jail authorities and sought their response to a plea filed by jailed terrorist Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case, seeking permission to talk to his family members.
Special Judge Chander Jit Singh directed the Tihar Jail authorities to also file a status report in the matter by June 4, when the matter would be heard next.
Rana moved special court on Tuesday
Rana, a 64-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman, moved the special court on Tuesday seeking permission to talk to his family members.
Court appointed a lawyer to represent Rana
Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan and Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Narender Mann represented the National Investigating Agency (NIA) before the court.
The judge asked accused Rana before the proceedings if he had a lawyer.
After Rana told the court that he didn’t, he was informed by the judge that a lawyer was being provided to him from Delhi Legal Services Authority.
Advocate Piyush Sachdeva was appointed to represent accused Rana, news agency PTI reported.
Rana was extradited to India last month
Rana, who is a close associate of David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen and the main conspirator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, was brought to India last month after his review petition against his extradition to India was dismissed by the US Supreme Court on April 4.
Rana is currently lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail
Rana, who is currently lodged in judicial custody in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, is accused of being involved in the larger conspiracy behind the dastardly Mumbai attacks on November 26, 2008, orchestrated by Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). 166 people lost their lives and over 238 persons were injured in the dastardly attack at several locations in Mumbai.