India 'disappointed' over Rana's acquittal in 26/11 case

New Delhi/Bangalore, Jun 10(PTI) Voicing "disappointment"
over Tahawwur Rana's acquittal by a US court on the charge of
plotting the Mumbai attacks, India on Friday said it will soon
take a decision on filing a charge sheet against him and LeT
operative David Headley in an Indian court.
"We are disappointed that Rana was acquitted on the count
of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai
terrorist attacks," Secretary, Internal Security, in the
Ministry of Home Affairs, U K Bansal, said in a statement.
In Bangalore, Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna
said "we are not entirely satisfied" with the verdict and
pointed out that "the fact remains that throughout the last
few months, the trial has (shown) substantial linkages between
the two (Rana and Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley)
facing the trial and on Mumbai attack".
Bansal said the government has taken note of the verdict
pronounced by a US District Court in the Rana case following
the finding by the jury that the Pakistani-Canadian was guilty
on two of the three counts.
Rana has been found guilty on one count of 'conspiracy to
provide material support to the terror plot in Denmark' and
the other of 'providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba'.
The jury acquitted Rana of conspiracy to provide material
support to the Mumbai terror attacks.
Bansal said the National Investigation Agency (NIA),
which is probing the case against Headley, Rana and others,
has decided to wait for proceedings to conclude in the US
court before filing a charge sheet in an Indian court against
the accused.
The NIA has also sought certain documents and evidence
that were produced in the Chicago court and expects to receive
them.
"After examining the verdict in the US court and after
reviewing the documents and evidence that it expects to
receive, NIA will take a decision on filing a charge sheet
against Headley, Rana and others in an Indian court," Bansal
said.
He said one must remember that Rana was tried in a US
court in accordance with the US law. Criminal trials in the US
are jury trials and there are special rules governing such
jury trials.
"While Rana's lawyers have stated that they will file an
appeal against the verdict, it is not yet clear whether the US
authorities would also file an appeal against the acquittal on
one count of conspiracy," he said.
Krishna also said that "Judicial process has taken a
particular view. We are not entirely satisfied. It is a
judicial process. We can't dictate. That is the law of the
land".