26/11 Mumbai attack: Delhi court grants NIA time to respond to Tahawwur Rana's plea

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday granted time to the National Investigating Agency (NIA) on a plea filed by 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana seeking regular telephonic conversations with his family.

Special judge Chander Jit Singh posted the matter on July 25.

On Tuesday, legal aid counsel Piyush Sachdev appeared for Rana during the in-camera proceedings.

The court, in the meantime, allowed Rana’s plea for a bed and mattress in prison on the ground that he was aged over 64 years and suffered from some medical ailments.

The prison authorities had opposed Rana’s plea saying rules prescribed beds to only those inmates who were 65.

NIA also informed the court that it provided Rana’s complete medical history to the prison authorities.

On July 9, the court extended the accused’s judicial custody till August 13.

Rana is a close associate of 26/11 main conspirator David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen. He was brought to India after the US Supreme Court on April 4 dismissed his review plea against his extradition to India.

On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage, carrying out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre, after they sneaked into India's financial capital through the sea route.

A total of 166 people were killed in the nearly 60-hour assault.