Tahawwur Hussain Rana (44), arrested by the FBI for allegedly planning terror attacks in India, visited Hapur and Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh and left for Kochi days before the 26/11 attacks.
Rana’s relatives in Hapur confirmed the visit by Rana and his wife in November
2008.
Rana and David Coleman Headley were arrested last month for their alleged role in carrying out attacks in India.
Farzana Parvin, the maternal aunt of Rana’s wife Shamraz Akhtar, said: “On November 13, 2008, they came to Delhi airport and stayed back with us at our house in Hapur. I and my daughter Zoya accompanied hem to Agra to see the Taj Mahal,” Parvin said.
Suraiya Bano and Farzana Parvin are sisters of Shamraz’s mother Musharraf Jahan who stays in Pakistan.
“Since 14th was a Friday, sight-seeing at the Taj was not possible. So we stayed there and went to see the Taj next day. By evening we all returned to Delhi,” Parvin said. “The next day, on November 16, they had a flight to Kochi and left.”
The family said they did not believe in Rana’s involvement in terror activities.