26/11 Terrorist Attack Mastermind Tahawwur Rana Sent To 12-Day NIA Custody

New Delhi: 26/11 terrorist attack mastermind Tahawwur Rana was on Monday sent to 12-day NIA custody. The Patiala House Court  granted a plea of the National Investigation Agency seeking custody of 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana for 12 more days.

He was bought to Delhi's Patiala House Court amid tight security and his face covered. Rana's 18-Day NIA custody ended today.

Rana was produced before special NIA judge Chander Jit Singh on expiry of his 18-day NIA custody amid tight security and with his face covered. Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan, is heading NIA's legal team.

Earlier on Saturday, a Mumbai crime branch team questioned Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, for over eight hours. During the questioning, Rana gave evasive answers and did not co-operate, according to reports. 

During the interrogation, Rana distanced himself from the attacks that claimed over 166 lives and injured hundreds on November 26, 2008. Rana reportedly told investigators that he had "no connection whatsoever" with the planning or execution of the attack. He also claimed that his childhood friend and co-accused, David Coleman Headley, was solely responsible for the reconnaissance and planning aspects.

Headley, who turned approver in the case, had earlier admitted to conducting recce missions across India, including in Mumbai, on behalf of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Rana, a former officer of the Pakistan Army’s Medical Corps, was extradited to India from the United States recently to face justice in the Mumbai attack case.