26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana allowed to make one-time phone call to family. Here's why he wants to do it

The accused of the 26/11 Mumbai attack, Tahawwur Rana, has been allowed to make a one-time phone call to his family members in a verdict on Thursday (August 7). The Delhi Patiala House Court's decision came after Rana had sought permission for the same. He claimed in his plea that he needed to discuss with his family before changing his legal aid counsel. The Pakistani accused has been lodged into the Tihar Jail, where his plea was rejected. The officials at the jail cited security concerns while rejecting his call request. However, this is not the first time that Rana has made such requests. Earlier, one of his requests was approved, leading him to make a one-time phone call to his family members.

Rana was successfully extradited from the US on April 9. On arriving in the capital, New Delhi, he was formally arrested and escorted by NSG and NIA teams, which included senior officials, on a special plane from Los Angeles, US.

Rana-Headley - key conspirators

NIA, in the statement, highlighted Rana's association with David Coleman Headley. "Rana is accused of conspiring with Headley, and operatives of designated terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to carry out the devastating terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008."

It added, "Both LeT and HUJI have been declared as terrorist organisations by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967."