A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Delhi’s Patiala House has permitted Tahawwur Rana, the Pakistan-born accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, to make three phone calls to his brother this month to discuss the hiring of a private defence lawyer. The calls will be recorded, conducted in the presence of a senior jail officer, and strictly held in either Hindi or English, the court ruled during an in-camera hearing.
Court extends custody and sets conditions on calls
Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh extended Rana’s judicial custody until September 8. He appeared before the court via video conferencing after the expiry of his earlier custody period. The court’s order allows Rana three telephone calls with his brother during August, with the specific purpose of finalising the appointment of new legal counsel. The move follows an earlier application in which Rana sought regular telephone access, previously denied by jail authorities, for contacting family members. Initially, he was allowed only one call.
Case status and ongoing proceedings
Rana’s counsel, Piyush Sachdev, requested additional time to examine the documents from the main and supplementary charge sheets filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The case is currently at the stage of scrutinising these documents. The NIA filed its supplementary charge sheet on July 9, containing procedural documents such as arrest and seizure memos. The main charge sheet was submitted back in December 2011.
Extradition and investigation
Tahawwur Rana was extradited from the United States in April 2025 in connection with his alleged role in facilitating the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed more than 170 people and injured hundreds. The attacks were carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives.
Since his extradition, the NIA has interrogated Rana, collected his voice and handwriting samples, and confronted him with evidence. The agency earlier argued for custody citing his alleged evasiveness and lack of cooperation during questioning.
