New Delhi [India], June 4 : The Patiala House Court on Wednesday scheduled a hearing for June 9 regarding a plea filed by Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack conspiracy.
In his petition, Rana has sought permission to communicate with his family while in judicial custody, in accordance with jail regulations.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed its response to the plea, which has now been served to the Tihar Jail authorities for their comments. Based on the NIA's reply, Tihar Jail officials will submit their own response before the court convenes on June 9 to deliberate on the matter.
Rana, who is currently in judicial custody until June 6, had previously been denied permission to speak with his family while in NIA custody. His legal counsel, Advocate Piyush Sachdeva, argued that, as a foreign national, Rana has the fundamental right to maintain communication with his family, who remain concerned about his well-being during his detention.
However, the NIA opposed the plea, citing the ongoing investigation and the potential risk of sensitive information being disclosed.
Rana was extradited from the United States recently and placed under NIA custody in New Delhi as part of India's efforts to bring all conspirators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice.
Investigators recently collected his voice and handwriting samples to assess his suspected links to the perpetrators.
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks, executed by the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, resulted in over 170 casualties and left hundreds injured. Rana's custody forms a crucial part of the investigation aimed at identifying and prosecuting individuals involved in orchestrating the attack.