New Delhi/Mumbai: After nearly a decade and a half of legal proceedings, one of the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, is finally being extradited to India from the United States. According to sources, an Indian team has already departed from the US with Rana, and he is expected to arrive in India by Thursday afternoon. The Arthur Road Jail cell in Mumbai—once occupied by Ajmal Kasab, the lone captured terrorist from the 26/11 attacks—has been cleared in preparation for Rana’s arrival.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Canadian businessman of Pakistani origin, is accused of aiding and abetting his childhood friend David Coleman Headley in planning and executing reconnaissance missions in India for the attacks. Headley, working at the behest of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had conducted detailed surveillance of multiple potential targets across Mumbai. The coordinated attacks on November 26, 2008, resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six American citizens.
What Happens After Rana Arrives in India?
Upon his arrival in India, Rana will be presented before a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court at Delhi’s Patiala House. The NIA will seek his custody for in-depth interrogation. Investigators plan to question Rana based on a wide range of evidence already in their possession, including emails, travel records, and witness testimonies.
Due to high security concerns, it is likely that Rana will initially be housed in a high-security cell at Delhi’s Tihar Jail, where additional security measures have already been implemented. India had earlier assured the United States that Rana would be provided with due legal rights and adequate protection.
Kasab’s Cell Ready Again
If brought to Mumbai to stand trial, Rana may be lodged in Barrack No. 12 of Arthur Road Jail—the same bomb-proof cell where Ajmal Kasab was kept until he was hanged in November 2012. A senior prison official stated, “No official orders have been issued yet. Once he arrives, we will decide on his placement within the facility.”
High-Level Security Meeting
In light of Rana’s extradition, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a high-level meeting on Wednesday with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The meeting was also attended by Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Deka and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. While the specific agenda of the meeting was not disclosed, it is believed that discussions revolved around the security and procedural aspects of Rana’s extradition.
Rana’s Alleged Role in the Mumbai Attacks
According to a 2011 chargesheet filed by the NIA, Rana not only helped Headley travel to India but also opened an office in Mumbai under the name “Immigrant Law Center” to facilitate reconnaissance operations. He, along with his wife, traveled to several Indian cities between November 13 and 21, 2008—including Hapur, Delhi, Agra, Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai—under the guise of a business trip. These activities, the agency claims, directly contributed to the planning of the Mumbai terror attacks.