Court seeks Tihar Jail’s response on 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana’s plea for phone call to family

A Delhi court on Friday (July 25, 2025) sought a response from the Tihar Jail authorities on a plea filed by 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana, seeking permission to make a phone call to his family.

Special Judge Chander Jit Singh of the Patiala House Court issued notice to the jail superintendent, Tihar, and posted the matter for further hearing on August 1.

During the hearing, the jail authorities informed the court that Rana has been provided with a bed and mattress during his custody, as ordered by the court on July 9.

However, the jail authorities opposed the plea to provide him with a bed and mattress, citing provisions of the jail manual which allow such facilities only to inmates aged 65 or above. Rana has not attained the age of 65.

Extradited by the United States to India on April 10, the 64-year-old Rana is facing trial in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed more than 166 lives.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the case, had charged him in connection with the conspiracy behind the attacks, along with his friend David Headley, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative who carried out the planning and reconnaissance for the attacks on the instructions of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed.