In a new development in the David Headley terror trail, it has now been unearthed that suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative Tahawwur Rana visited Kochi last year.
Rana and his wife Samraz were in Kochi in November last year, barely 10 days before 26/11.
Sources say Rana stayed at a posh hotel in Kochi on the November 16, 2008 and left for Mumbai the next day.
Security agencies have also found a cover advertisement that he put out in a leading daily in Kerala on November 17 offering visas to the US and Canada on a 'limited time money back guarantee'.
Earlier, intensifying its probe into suspected Lashkar operative
David Headley's role in the Mumbai terror attacks, a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at several places in the city.
Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary G K Pillai has said that no clean chit has been to anyone in the Headley terror probe.
The NIA team carried out searches at various places in south Mumbai and western suburbs of the city. Two hotels in south Mumbai were also searched.
The NIA has registered a case against Headley and his Canadian
accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana in connection with terror attacks in India including the 26/11 Mumbai attack.
Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) filed fresh evidence against
Tahawwur Rana, who along with David Headley, have been accused of being part of the Lashkar plot to target India.
The evidence was produced in a sealed envelope to a court in Chicago; the FBI has asked the court not to open it.
Rana is scheduled to be produced in a court in Chicago on November 19 when his bail plea would be heard.
Prosecutors have also sought 58 more days from that date to study the fresh evidence against Rana, which have been unearthed during recent raids.
Also on Sunday, Mahesh Bhatt, Rahul Bhatt's father, has reacted angrily to his son's name cropping up in investigations.
Mahesh Bhatt to NDTV:
- I am outraged a hero has been turned into a villain
- Rahul doesn't need a clean chit from anyone
- I will approach the highest authority, including the PM for justice
- Rahul helped the agencies, but now they and state are maligning his name
- The agencies have exposed him to terrorists and have made him vulnerable
