New Delhi — In a major development in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks case, Tahawwur Rana, one of the key accused and a close aide of convicted terrorist David Coleman Headley, landed in India on Thursday afternoon following his extradition from the United States.
Rana, a Pakistan-born Canadian national, was immediately escorted to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) headquarters in New Delhi under tight security. Sources confirmed that a medical check-up was conducted upon his arrival before the agency moved to seek his custodial remand in a special court. Given the heightened security concerns, the NIA may opt to produce him before the court through video conferencing.
A senior official revealed that Rana will remain in NIA custody for at least a week for intensive interrogation. “The agency will try to extract crucial information about the planning and execution of the Mumbai terror attack and the possible role of state actors in Pakistan and elsewhere,” the official said.
The NIA registered a case in 2009 (RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI) under several stringent laws, including Section 121A of the Indian Penal Code (conspiracy to wage war against the country), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the SAARC Convention (Suppression of Terrorism) Act. The case, initially against Headley, Rana, and others, was taken over by the NIA following directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Security has been ramped up around both the NIA headquarters and the Patiala House Court complex. Once Rana’s interrogation concludes in the capital, he will be transferred to Mumbai. There, he is likely to be lodged in Barrack No. 12 of the Arthur Road Jail—the same high-security facility where 26/11 gunman Ajmal Kasab was held until his execution in 2012.
Rana, a former Pakistani military doctor, has long been accused of aiding David Headley in planning the attacks, including facilitating travel documents and other logistics. In September 2023, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch filed a 405-page supplementary chargesheet against Rana, charging him with murder, attempted murder, and waging war against India.
His extradition marks a significant diplomatic and legal victory for India, following a prolonged legal battle in the United States. Rana’s final attempt to avoid extradition was quashed when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal. A special multi-agency Indian team had traveled to the U.S. to escort him back.
On November 26, 2008, ten heavily armed terrorists from Pakistan infiltrated Mumbai via the Arabian Sea and unleashed 60 hours of terror across key locations including Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, the Oberoi Trident, and the Jewish Chabad House. The attacks claimed 166 lives and injured hundreds, leaving an indelible scar on India’s collective memory.
As Rana enters Indian custody, families of the victims and the nation await justice more than 16 years after the attacks that shook the world.
