Grilled by Mumbai cops, Rana denies role in 26/11

A team from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch questioned the 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana in the national capital for over eight hours, during which the Pakistani-born Canadian businessman allegedly denied his involvement in the 26/11 terror strike, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.

- Vinay Dalvi

MUMBAI:

Rana, 64, a former officer in the Pakistan military, is suspected to have played a key role in planning and facilitating the 26/11 attacks, carried out by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit. He is being held under constant guard in a high-security cell inside the NIA headquarters in New Delhi.

On Thursday, Rana denied any involvement in the 2008 terror attacks during his questioning by the Mumbai Crime Branch team, which was led by deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Datta Nalawade, a senior officer said, requesting anonymity. The team, dispatched on the orders of joint commissioner of police (crime) Lakhmi Gautam, also comprised three police inspectors, including Pandarinath Patil, who has been following the case across various courts, the officer added.