Judge declines to hear Rana bail plea

Yoshita Singh
Chicago, Jan 7 (PTI) Pakistani-Canadian terror suspect
Tahawwur Rana will have to spend more days in custody after a
US judge Thursday did not hear his bail plea, saying an
expected indictment against him may send the case to a
different judge.
Rana, who has appealed against his detention and was
making renewed efforts to be freed on bond, appeared before US
District Judge Matthew Kennelly in the US District Court,
Northern District of Illinois here.
But the prosecutors said they expect to obtain an
indictment against Rana, under investigation for possible
links to 26/11 terror attacks, by January 14. After the
indictment, Rana's case could be handled by a different judge.
Then judge Kennelly said since he was not certain he
would continue to be in charge of the case after the
indictment, he would not act on Rana's bail request just yet.
He set a status hearing for January 21.
Assistant US Attorney Daniel Collins told Kennelly
that the government has no plans to request more time to
obtain an indictment against Rana, who is custody since
October 18.
A Chicago court had in November last year given a
58-day extension to the FBI to file indictment against Rana by
January 14.
Rana, 48, appeared in court wearing an orange jumpsuit
for the hearing that lasted only a few minutes. PTI YAS
ANU