Tahawwur Hussain Rana, one of the main accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, landed in India on Thursday around 2:30 pm. His extradition from the United States comes after over a decade of legal delays. A special Indian team, including members of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), brought him back on a special flight.

Rana, a 64-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman, is expected to be immediately arrested by the NIA and produced before a special court. He is likely to be kept in a high-security cell in Tihar Jail, Delhi. Authorities have also prepared a high-risk cell in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail in case of a possible transfer.

Rana is accused of playing a key role in helping David Coleman Headley, his childhood friend and co-conspirator, with travel documents and support. Headley later scouted the locations in Mumbai that were targeted during the 2008 attacks by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which killed 166 people, including six Americans.

According to the NIA chargesheet filed in 2011, Rana was involved in a visa scam and had even opened a fake office in Mumbai—called the ‘Immigrant Law Centre’—to support Headley’s activities.

He faces charges of criminal conspiracy, waging war against India, murder, and forgery under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The case has now been transferred from Mumbai to Delhi, and the NIA will seek custodial interrogation to confront Rana with evidence like emails, documents, and witness statements.

India had earlier assured US authorities that Rana would be given fair treatment, including access to legal rights and safe prison conditions—a crucial step in securing his extradition.

Officials believe Rana’s interrogation may lead to fresh leads about the role of Pakistani state actors in the 26/11 attacks.



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