Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and the other three crew members of NASA's Axiom-4 mission are scheduled to return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14th.
Mumbai: India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed another supplementary chargesheet against Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, in a special court. In this supplementary chargesheet, the NIA has presented new evidence of Tahawwur Rana's suspicious activities, his network in India, and his involvement in the conspiracy of the attack.
Tahawwur Rana has been sent to judicial custody until August 13, 2025. This decision came after he was presented before the special judge, Chander Jeet Singh, upon the expiration of his current custody period.
Tahawwur Rana is a close associate of David Headley
Tahawwur Rana, a former Pakistani army officer, holds dual citizenship of the United States and Pakistan. He is considered a very close associate of David Coleman Headley, also known as Daood Gilani, the main conspirator of the 26/11 attacks. Headley testified in the United States that Rana provided him with a cover story and facilities in India so he could conduct reconnaissance of targets in Mumbai.
According to the NIA, Rana was not only helping Headley with his travels to India, but he was also in contact with Lashkar-e-Taiba and ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). The investigating agency claims that Rana's role was not limited to just logistical support, but he was also involved in efforts to activate a terrorist network in India.
Increased pace of interrogation after extradition to India
It is noteworthy that the US Supreme Court dismissed the final petition against Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India in April 2024. Following this, Indian authorities extradited him from the United States to India in 2024. Since then, the NIA has interrogated him several times and collected documentary evidence against him.
According to the NIA, the supplementary chargesheet includes Rana's email activities, call records, bank transactions, and some confidential documents that further clarify the relationship between him and Headley. The court will formally consider this supplementary chargesheet on August 13.
26/11 Attack: The biggest terrorist attack on India to date
On November 26, 2008, 10 terrorists from Pakistan entered Mumbai via the sea route. In this three-day terrorist attack, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station, the Taj Hotel, the Oberoi Trident Hotel, and Nariman House (a Jewish center) were targeted. 166 people were killed and hundreds were injured in this brutal attack. The whole world condemned this attack and considered it a 'war-like' attack against India.
The court will now hear another application from Tahawwur Rana on July 15, 2025, in which he has requested permission to speak to his family on the phone. The NIA has sought time to file a reply to this application.
