The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Wednesday night issued a gazetted notification appointing a special public prosecutor for the trial for three years, a day before the arrival of Tahawwur Rana, who is being extradited from the US after his arrest for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
According to sources, a team of senior National Investigation Agency (NIA) and intelligence officers obtained Rana’s custody, and he would be reaching Delhi Thursday.
In a notification, Abhijit Sinha, Joint Secretary (MHA), said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 15 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (34 of 2008), read with sub-section (8) of section 18 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), the Central Government hereby appoints Narender Mann, Advocate as Special Public Prosecutor for conducting trial and other matters related to NIA case RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI on behalf of the NIA before the NIA Special Courts at Delhi and Appellate Courts, for a period of three years from the date of publication of this notification or till the completion of trial of the said case, whichever is earlier”.
According to NIA, the case number RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI is the Headley-Mumbai terror attack conspiracy case. “As per Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs order No. 11034/10/ 2009-IS.VI dated 11/11/ 2009 National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case on 11/11/2009 at NIA Police Station, New Delhi as Case RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI under sections 121A of IPC, Section 18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 6(2) SAARC Convention (Suppression of Terrorism) Act against 1) David Coleman Headley @ Daood Gilani (US Citizen), 2) Tahawwur Hussain Rana (Canadian citizen) and others,” it said.
“Accused persons David Coleman Headley, a US Citizen, resident of Chicago, Illinois and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistan origin primarily residing in Chicago, USA entered into a criminal conspiracy with members of Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami (HUJI), both terrorist organizations based in Pakistan, which have been declared as Terrorist Organization by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (as amended in Act 35 / 2008), to commit terrorist acts in New Delhi and other places in India,” it said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah called the extradition of Rana a big success of the Modi government.
“Rana’s extradition is a big success of Prime Minister Modi’s diplomacy. The Modi government’s effort is to bring to justice those who attack India’s honour, land and people. He will be brought here to face trial and punishment. It is a big success of the Modi government,” Shah said while speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit.
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A team of three senior officers of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with three intelligence officials, reached the US Sunday to obtain custody of Rana. “After taking him into their custody, the team left and coming to Delhi on Thursday morning. The Nayayik Abhiraksha Vahini of Delhi Police has been asked by the NIA to send a jail van along with a pilot escort to the airport on Thursday morning at around 7 am to ferry Rana from the airport to their headquarters,” a source said.
According to sources, Rana is likely to be sent to judicial custody once he is in Delhi, and will be produced before a court via a video link.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
