New Delhi, May 27 (H.S.): Tahawwur Rana, an accused and conspirator in the Mumbai terror attacks, has filed a petition in Delhi's Patiala House Court seeking permission to talk to his family. Special Judge Chander Jit Singh will hear this petition tomorrow, i.e., on May 28. Tahawwur Rana is currently in judicial custody. The NIA had arrested Tahawwur as soon as he landed at the Palam Air Force Station in Delhi on the evening of April 10.

Prior to this, on April 24, the court had rejected Tahawwur Rana's request to speak to his family members. Tahawwur Rana is currently in judicial custody. On May 9, the court sent Rana to judicial custody until June 6. Samples of Tahawwur Rana's voice and handwriting were collected in court on May 3. The NIA arrested Tahawwur as soon as he landed at the Palam Air Force Station in Delhi on the evening of April 10.

After the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed Rana's petition against extradition, a team of Indian agencies traveled to the U.S. to bring him back. Tahawwur Rana is a Canadian citizen of Pakistani descent. He is a close associate of David Coleman Headley, also known as Dawood Gilani, who is one of the main conspirators behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

The 64-year-old Tahawwur Rana, of Pakistani origin, and David Coleman Headley were childhood friends and both studied at the same military school. Tahawwur Rana had opened an agency in Mumbai to assist David Coleman Headley.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar