December 17, 2009 3:15 PM

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Papers related to issue of visas to Headley, Rana not missing: Indian Consulate in Chicago

The Indian Consulate in Chicago today said the papers related to issuance of visas to terror suspects David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana had not gone missing and the relevant information in this regard is available with the Indian government. The official's remarks comes in the wake of recent media reports that papers on the basis of which Headley and Rana were issued visas by the Consulate may have gone mysteriously missing. Commenting on the report, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao yesterday said in New Delhi that she had asked for a factual report from Chicago's Consulate General on the issue.<br/><br/>American national of Pakistani origin Headley and Canadian-Pakistani Rana, both arrested by FBI for plotting terror attacks in India, travelled to India on multi-entry visas issued by the Indian mission. The visas were issued at the discretion of the Consul General in Chicago. While Headley was issued a five-year multi-entry business visa in July 2007, Rana was given a one-year business visa. <br/><br/>Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna today said the government has sought a preliminary report from the Indian consulate in Chicago on the alleged disappearance of visa papers given to David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana. Talking to reporters outside the Parliament, Mr. Krishna said that government will proceed on the issue after receiving a report from the consulate. Mr. Krishna added that the FBI is cooperating with India and an outcome on Headley’s extradition can be achieved only after FBI completes its inquiry. The Indian consulate in Chicago had issued visas to Rana and Headley to travel to India. Both made several trips between 2006 to 2008 to various cities in India and allegedly helped the Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives in Pakistan in planning the 26/11 terror attacks. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the visa application process as part of its investigation into the role of Headley, an American of Pakistani origin, and Rana, a Canadian of Pakistani origin, in the Mumbai attacks.<br/>

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