National Investigation Agency officers have secured statements from several key United States-based witnesses linked to the 26/11 investigation, government sources told The Hindu .
The recording of the statements from officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and independent witnesses had been stalled since 2010 because of the U.S. resistance to the presence of Indian police officers during the process.
The officers, the sources said, returned to New Delhi late on Wednesday, having recorded statements linked to e-mail correspondence of the convicted 26/11 perpetrator, David Headley, as well as investigators linked to the case.
The NIA officials declined to comment on the statements made by witnesses, saying they were bound by a non-disclosure agreement with the U.S.
The witness statements, a senior government official said, were important to substantiate charges filed by the NIA before a Delhi court in 2012 against top Lashkar-e-Taiba commanders alleged to have been involved in organising the 26/11 plot.
New Delhi had requested the statements from the U.S. in 2010, under a mutual legal assistance treaty but the process stalled as Indian police officers were told they could not be present when statements were recorded.
Last summer, however, the issue was resolved after high-level meetings.
