Court issues fresh NBWs against David Headley, Rana and others

By PTI

Updated: Tuesday, October 8, 2013, 13:20 [IST]

New Delhi, Oct 8: A Delhi court has issued fresh non-bailable warrants against Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley, his accomplice Tahawwur Rana, LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and 26/11 attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, who are accused of carrying out several terror attacks in India.

The court issued fresh non-bailable warrants(NBWs) against nine persons after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) moved an application and informed it that these accused are "absconding" and the warrants issued against them earlier have not been executed yet.

Besides Headley, Rana, Saeed and Lakhvi, fresh NBWs were also issued against Pakistan Army officials Major Iqbal and Major Sameer Ali, top Al-Qaeda operative Illyas Kashmiri, who is believed to have died in a drone attack in Pakistan, Headley's handler Sajid Malik and former Pakistani Army officer Abdul Rehman Hashmi.

"An application is moved seeking issuance of NBWs against nine accused persons. It is informed that charge sheet has already been filed in this case. Perusal of the record shows that earlier NBWs were issued with order dated May 30, 2013.

The same have not been executed as the accused persons are absconding," Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma said. "In view of the prayer made in the application, issue fresh NBWs against accused A1 to A9 returnable by January 4, 2014," the judge said.

NBWs issued against David Coleman Headley,Tahawwur Rana, Hafiz Saeed and others

These nine accused were charge sheeted by NIA in December 2011 for allegedly entering into a conspiracy with members of banned terror outfits Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) and HuJI to commit terrorist acts in India.

The court had earlier taken cognisance of the NIA's charge sheet against all the nine accused for their alleged roles in various terror acts in the country. The NIA, in its charge sheet filed on December 24, 2011, had accused Headley, Rana, Saeed and six others for planning and executing terror strikes in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai attack.

PTI