 "File Photo: The US court has approved the extradition of a Canadian businessman of Pakistani descent Tahawwur Rana to India where he is sought for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.")
After years of legal battle and diplomatic push, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the Pakistani-origin Canadian man accused of helping plan the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, landed in India on Thursday afternoon under tight security. His extradition from the US marks a major moment in India’s effort to bring those behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice.
Rana was flown to Delhi on a special flight, escorted by officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The flight landed at Palam Technical Airport. From there, he will be taken to National Investigation Agency (NIA) headquarters.
He is likely to be produced before a Special NIA Court in Delhi, possibly the Patiala House Court, amid heightened security, news agency PTI reported citing sources. Paramilitary and Delhi police personnel have already been deployed, and strict frisking protocols are in place for all visitors.
Given the sensitivity of the case, his remand proceedings may be conducted in-camera.
Meanwhile, Tihar officials have also confirmed that they are awaiting court directions to formally lodge Rana in prison.
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Why the NIA, not Mumbai Police, got custody of Rana?
Although the 26/11 case was initially investigated by the Mumbai police, the NIA is leading the interrogation of Rana and took his custody. This is because the Mumbai police’s original 2009 chargesheet did not name Rana as a wanted accused, which made it ineligible to initiate extradition proceedings at the time, reported The Indian Express.
In contrast, the NIA registered its own case in 2009 and filed a detailed chargesheet in 2011 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), naming Rana along with several Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives for their role in planning the attack. Based on NIA’s request, a Red Corner Notice was issued against Rana—crucial for the extradition process.
The Mumbai police only added Rana to their chargesheet in 2023 after extradition talks gathered momentum.
Where will Tahawwur Rana's trial be held?
Rana’s trial will be conducted in a Delhi court, where the NIA's case is registered. This follows the precedent set by previous high-profile extradited accused, such as Chhota Rajan, who was never sent to Mumbai due to security concerns and has faced trials via video link while being held in Tihar Jail.
A similar pattern was followed in the gangster Abu Salem case, who was extradited from Portugal in 2005 and convicted in Mumbai in the 1993 serial blasts case.
What is Rana accused of?
Rana, 64, is accused of helping his childhood friend and Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley, an American citizen of Pakistani origin, in conducting reconnaissance of locations that were later attacked in Mumbai. Headley, who turned approver in India and was sentenced to 35 years in the US, had visited multiple Indian cities with Rana’s support before the 2008 attack.
The NIA's chargesheet further accuses Rana of criminal conspiracy, murder, and waging war against the country under Indian Penal Code (IPC) and UAPA provisions.
Investigators also believe that Rana facilitated key planning stages of the 26/11 plot, including scouting targets and providing logistical support.
Focus of interrogation: Who helped plan 26/11?
Rana will be reportedly interrogated by a multi-agency team that includes NIA officials, intelligence officers, and counterterrorism psychologists. The goal: to extract fresh details about Pakistan’s institutional support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the roles of masterminds still at large—Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Sajid Mir, and HuJI’s Illyas Kashmiri.
“He has already been probed extensively, and cracking him will not be easy,” a senior official told The Times of India. “He knows how to mislead and create smokescreens. This will be time-consuming.”
According to The Economic Times, Rana’s questioning is expected to focus on uncovering cross-border terror links and the involvement of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.
(With agency inputs)
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