NIA chargesheet against David Headley soon

Having completed the questioning of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba operative David Coleman Headley, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to file a chargesheet against Headley, who told Indian interrogators that Lashkar founder Hafeez Saeed was closely associated with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Having completed the questioning of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba operative David Coleman Headley, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to file a chargesheet against Headley, who told Indian interrogators that Lashkar founder Hafeez Saeed was closely associated with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

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The Code of Criminal Procedure requires the investigating officer to send his report to the magistrate concerned on completion of investigations.

“The decision on his extradition will be taken subsequently,” a government official said.

“A request would have to be made,” he said, adding in the same breath that it did not matter if the request was rejected.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram had acknowledged the difficulties in extraditing Headley soon after Headley filed his plea bargain in March this year admitting his role in the conspiracy for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The Lashkar operative later gave details to NIA members that revealed Saeed’s active role in planning as well as executing the 26/11 attack.

In the backdrop of the Bhopal gas tragedy where the government came under fire for sitting on the extradition of another US citizen – then Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson – officials said the government was likely to seek closure after making a formal request to the US that is expected to be turned down.