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Tahawwur Rana denies role in Mumbai terror attack during interrogation (Ld)

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Mumbai, April 26: Tahawwur Rana, the Pakistani-Canadian national accused of involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, has denied any role in the conspiracy during his interrogation by the Mumbai Crime Branch.

According to senior officials, Rana, who is currently in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Delhi, was questioned for over eight hours by a team of Mumbai Police officers.

During the interrogation, Rana distanced himself from the attacks that claimed over 166 lives and injured hundreds on November 26, 2008.

Rana reportedly told investigators that he had “no connection whatsoever” with the planning or execution of the attack.

He also claimed that his childhood friend and co-accused, David Coleman Headley, was solely responsible for the reconnaissance and planning aspects.

Headley, who turned approver in the case, had earlier admitted to conducting recce missions across India, including in Mumbai, on behalf of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

During questioning, Rana said that apart from Mumbai and Delhi, he had also travelled to Kerala.

When asked about the purpose of his visit to Kerala, he claimed he had gone there to meet a known acquaintance and had provided the individual’s name and address to the agency.

Following this, sources said a team from the Mumbai Crime Branch may soon travel to Kerala to verify his claims and question the said person.

Officials revealed that Rana was largely uncooperative during the interrogation and frequently gave evasive answers.

He also cited memory lapses, stating that he was unable to recall specific details related to the attack that occurred over 17 years ago.

The interrogation is part of an ongoing probe by the NIA into the extensive three-year groundwork carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) prior to the Mumbai terror attacks.

Rana is also being questioned about his alleged links to several individuals whose names surfaced in intercepted communications, including Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed, Sajid Majid, Ilyas Kashmiri, and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi — all of whom are believed to have played crucial roles in the 26/11 conspiracy.

Rana, a former officer of the Pakistan Army’s Medical Corps, was extradited to India from the United States recently to face justice in the Mumbai attack case.

Crime

Chadian national held at Mumbai airport with gold worth Rs 3.86 cr hidden in slippers

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Mumbai, May 17: In a major crackdown on gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai, arrested a Chadian national who arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) from Addis Ababa, after seizing 4,015 grams of gold worth Rs 3.86 crore ingeniously concealed in the heels of his slippers.

Acting on specific Intelligence, DRI officers intercepted the male passenger shortly after his arrival in Mumbai. Upon conducting a personal search, the officers discovered multiple foreign-origin gold bars cleverly hidden inside the modified heels of the man’s slippers.

In his voluntary statement recorded by officials, the Chadian national admitted to concealing the gold in this unusual manner to bypass customs checks and evade legal detection. The gold was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and the passenger was placed under arrest.

Officials stated that further investigations are underway to trace the origin and intended recipients of the smuggled consignment and to determine if the incident is linked to a broader smuggling network.

This seizure adds to a growing list of recent smuggling attempts intercepted by vigilant DRI officials.

In an earlier case from April 2025, DRI Mumbai had seized foreign-origin gold worth Rs 6.30 crore from a passenger who had arrived at CSMIA from Bangkok. The gold, hidden in specially designed compartments of the passenger’s luggage, was also seized under the Customs Act, with the individual arrested immediately.

The DRI continues to maintain a strict vigil at international entry points, using a combination of Intelligence gathering and surveillance to thwart attempts at smuggling precious metals and other contraband. The agency reiterated its commitment to cracking down on such offenses, which pose a serious threat to economic stability and border security.

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Crime

WBSSC recruitment case: Undeterred by baton charge, teachers gherao Bikash Bhawan again

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Kolkata, May 16: A day after being baton-charged by police, the protesting teachers have assembled again, surrounding Bikash Bhavan, the West Bengal Education Department’s headquarters, on Friday morning.

Some of the protesting teachers with severe head and body injuries were also seen joining the protests.

Some of the protesters attempted to get inside the Bikash Bhavan premises by removing the barricades raised by police around the building at Salt Lake in Kolkata.

A police contingent from Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate has already reached the spot and is trying to control the situation.

The protesting teachers claimed that even if they face police assault again, they would continue with their protests till their last breath until their demands in the matter are fulfilled.

Their main demand is that the state government and West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) should immediately publish lists segregating the “untainted” or “genuine” candidates from the “tainted” ones, who had paid money for getting school jobs.

They also alleged that the state government and WBSSC are “deliberately refraining from publishing the segregated lists to protect the untainted candidates”.

The protesting “genuine” teachers started a gherao agitation on Thursday morning, cordoning off Bikash Bhavan from all sides. At around 10 p.m. on Thursday, a huge police contingent reached the spot and resorted to a massive baton charge to disperse the protesters, in which several protesting teachers were severely injured.

Although the “gherao” demonstration was dispersed, the protesting teachers assembled at a distance from Bikash Bhavan, continuing with their sit-in demonstration.

On April 3, the Supreme Court’s division bench of erstwhile Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar had upheld a previous order by the Calcutta High Court’s division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi cancelling 25,753 school jobs in West Bengal.

The Apex Court also accepted the observation of the Calcutta High Court that the entire panel of 25,753 candidates had to be cancelled because of the failure of the state government and the commission to segregate the “untainted candidates from the “tainted” ones.

The state government and West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) had already filed review petitions at the Apex Court on this issue.

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Crime

Mumbai Police Arrest 3 Men After Viral Video Shows Dangerous Car Stunt On Eastern Express Highway

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Police arrested three men on Thursday after they were caught performing dangerous car stunts on the Eastern Express Highway near Chembur. Acting quickly on a viral video shared on Instagram, the RCF Police apprehended the young men for their reckless actions on road near Chembur.

The video, which attracted widespread attention, showed the driver of a white car recklessly speeding along the expressway while several men inside were seen dangerously leaning out of the moving vehicle.

The complainant in the case is Police Constable Navnath Dattu Vaikhande (34), attached to RCF Police Station, who initiated legal action based on the viral video evidence.

The arrested accused have been identified as Adnan Mohammad Isa Khan (20), taxi driver, resident of Zakir Hussain Nagar, Govandi; native of Chamroopur Pathan, District Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Mukim Bashir Khan (22), taxi driver, resident of Road No. 3, behind Patel Hotel, Govandi; native of Sonpur, Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Junaid Awad Ali Khan (20), taxi driver, also residing at Road No. 3, behind Patel Hotel, Govandi; native of Sonpur, Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh.

The footage sparked public outrage and prompted an immediate response from law enforcement. After identifying the individuals involved, the RCF Police Station registered a case under Section 281 (Rash driving or riding on a public way), Section 125 (Negligent conduct), and Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which pertains to driving dangerously.

A video shared by the Mumbai police highlights dangerous activities by drivers and others. In the video, a group of people can be seen engaging in risky behaviour by hanging out of moving cars on the road, endangering their own lives and the lives of others, all while loud music plays.

The arrested individuals are currently in custody, and further investigations are ongoing to identify others involved in the stunt. Authorities are also probing whether the vehicle was rented or privately owned. This incident serves as a reminder of the risks associated with irresponsible behaviour on the road and the serious consequences that can follow.

Many users reacted to the post shared by the Mumbai Police. One user asked about the other accused, saying, “Only 3 were arrested? Where are the others?” On the other hand, another user expressed appreciation for the Mumbai Police, stating, “Thank you, Mumbai Police, for not turning Mumbai into Delhi Part 2.”

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