Court Permits 26/11 Mumbai Attack Accused Tahawwur Rana to Contact Family
A Delhi court has allowed Tahawwur Hussain Rana, one of the accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, to communicate with his family amid ongoing legal proceedings.
One-Time Phone Call Approved
On Thursday, the Patiala House Court granted Rana permission to make a one-time phone call to his family. Rana is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, and the jail authorities had earlier objected to his request, citing security concerns.
Rana told the court that he wanted to consult his family before deciding whether to change his legal aid counsel, and emphasized the need for communication to take an informed decision regarding his defence.
This is not the first time such a request has been made; a previous plea for a single phone call had also been approved earlier by the court.
Who is Tahawwur Rana?
- Nationality: Pakistani-Canadian
- Associations: Close associate of David Coleman Headley, aka Dawood Gilani, a key conspirator in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks
- Legal Status: Extradited to India in early 2025 after the US Supreme Court rejected his final appeal on April 4
Rana is considered one of the high-profile accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, in which 166 people were killed during a coordinated assault by 10 Pakistani terrorists on key locations in Mumbai, including two luxury hotels, a railway station, and a Jewish centre.
The attacks lasted nearly 60 hours and remain one of India’s most devastating terrorist strikes in recent history. Rana’s connection to Headley — who conducted reconnaissance missions for the terrorists — has been a major link in India’s effort to bring all perpetrators to justice.
