New Delhi: A Delhi court has allowed the NIA to collect the voice and handwriting samples of 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a source said.
Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Judge Chander Jit Singh, who on April 28 extended Rana’s custody for 12 days, passed the order on April 30 on an application moved by the agency.
Rana, a close associate of 26/11 main conspirator David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen, was brought to India after the US Supreme Court on April 4 dismissed his review plea against his extradition to India.
Currently in NIA custody, Rana was recently extradited to India from the United States.
On Wednesday, Special NIA Judge Chander Jit Singh approved the NIA’s request to collect handwriting and voice samples from Tahawwur Rana.
Earlier on Monday, the same court had extended Rana’s NIA custody for an additional 12 days. During the hearing, the NIA informed the court that Rana had been confronted with a significant amount of records and evidence related to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The agency argued that further custody was required to complete his interrogation.
While seeking an extension of his remand, the NIA argued that Rana had been evasive during questioning and was not cooperating with the investigation. The agency emphasised the need for further custodial interrogation to extract crucial information related to his alleged involvement in the attacks, ANI reported.
In the legal proceedings concerning Tahawwur Rana, the NIA was represented by Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan and Special Public Prosecutor Narender Mann. On the other hand, Advocate Piyush Sachdeva, from Legal Services, defended Rana in the matter.
However, Rana’s counsel opposed the extension of his remand, contending that additional custodial interrogation was unwarranted.
Rana, a 64-year-old Canadian businessman of Pakistani origin, was extradited from the United States earlier this month in connection with his alleged role in the deadly 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. Upon his extradition, he was placed under NIA custody in New Delhi, where investigators continue to examine his suspected links to the perpetrators of the attacks.
