Tahawwur’s interrogation hints at Pak connection
Tahawwur Rana, 26/11 accused, is being interrogated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). During the course of his questioning, leads are learnt to have been received regarding his connection with Pakistan even as Islamabad has distanced itself from him.
Sources told The Tribune that during Rana’s interrogation in the past five days, certain leads had been received linking him to Pakistan.
They said though the questioning was still at a preliminary stage, indications had emerged regarding his links with the neighbouring nation.
Rana is currently being interrogated at the NIA headquarters in the national capital.
Last week, when Rana was extradited to India, Pakistan had denied any connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks accused, asserting that he was a Canadian national and had not renewed his Pakistani documents for over two decades.
“He is a Canadian national and as per our record, he has not renewed his Pakistani documents for over two decades,” foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan had said responding to a press briefing in Islamabad.
According to the sources, the NIA had registered a case at the NIA police station, New Delhi, on November 11, 2009, under Sections 121A of the IPC, 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and 6(2) of the SAARC Convention (Suppression of Terrorism) Act against David Coleman Headley, alias Daood Gilani (US citizen), Tahawwur Hussain Rana (Canadian citizen) and others.
As per the case details, the accused — Headley and Rana — had entered into a criminal conspiracy with members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami (HUJI), both terrorist organisations based in Pakistan, which have been declared terrorist organisations by India under the UAPA, 1967 (as amended in Act 35/2008), to commit terrorist acts in New Delhi and other places in India.
Headley and Rana were arrested by law enforcement agencies in the US in the case.
Following a request from the NIA, the Interpol, CBI, issued “red notices” against the remaining seven absconding accused.
The NIA had sent requests to the US for the extradition of Headley and Rana.
While Rana has been handed over to the Indian authorities, Headley’s request is still pending.
The remaining accused in the case, all functionaries of the LeT and HUJI — Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, alias Tayyaji, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Sajjid Majid, alias Wasi, Illyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed, alias Major Abdurrehman, alias Pasha — with active connivance and assistance from officers of the ISI — Major Iqbal, alias Major Ali, and Major Sameer Ali, alias Major Samir, all residents of Pakistan — are roaming free and deemed absconding by the Indian authorities.
The Special Court, NIA, Patiala House, New Delhi, has issued non-bailable warrants against the remaining accused.
India