This Article is From Nov 19, 2009

Rana's bail hearing postponed till Dec 1

New DElhi: The bail hearing of terror suspect Tahawwur Rana has been further postponed to December 1.

The prosecution says it planned to fight to keep Rana behind bars as authorities in the United States, India and Pakistan build a case against him.

Rana has been in FBI custody since his arrest at home on October 18.

The FBI complaint alleges that Rana and American citizen David Headley were part of a conspiracy to plot terror attacks in India and Denmark.

Rana's bail application was due on November 19. After that if he came into police custody, it would have been easier for Indian officials to question him.

It's still not clear when Headley's bail application will come up for hearing.

Meanwhile, a Chicago court has given 58 days extension to federal prosecutors to file an indictment against Rana.

With this, the FBI has now got time till January 14 to file an indictment against Rana. Earlier on October 30, the court had granted the government's unopposed motion with respect to 49-year-old Headley, extending the time in which the government must seek an indictment against him until January 1, 2010.

Moving the motion seeking extension of time, the US attorney said the federal prosecutors need more time to complete the investigation. Investigations include the interception of numerous telephone and email communications, many of which were in a foreign language, he said.

And, after facing severe criticism for issuing visas to a terror suspect like Rana, the Indian Consulate in Chicago said on Wednesday that the multi-entry visas to Rana and his wife were issued after "due scrutiny of the available documents."

Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian, along with his wife Samraz Rana Akhthar had been issued multiple entry visas by the Indian Consulate in Chicago in October 2008.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said the issue of grant of visas was being looked into while the Indian Consulate in Chicago said the "visas were issued with due scrutiny of the available documents and following guidelines."

"The Consulate General of India, Chicago issued visas to Rana and his spouse as per the established procedure for issuance of visas to persons of Pakistani origin. As per the procedure, no prior clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs was required in such cases," Consul Vishvas Sapkal at the Indian Consulate at Chicago said in an e-mail response to PTI.

Both the visas were issued "under the discretion of the Consul General" with the Home Ministry maintaining that it was in violation of rules under which its clearance is required for any person born in Pakistan. Rana was born in Chichawatni while his wife was born in Bahawalpur. Both the places are in Pakistan's Punjab province.
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