Pakistani-Canadian terror suspect Tahawwur Rana will have to spend more days in custody after a US judge today 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.