The 64-year-old Canadian national of Pakistani origin was formally arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Wednesday, following his extradition from the United States.
More than 15 years after the horrific 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 166 lives, one of its key accused, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, has finally been brought to India to face trial. The 64-year-old Canadian national of Pakistani origin was formally arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Wednesday, following his extradition from the United States.
Rana was flown in on a special aircraft from Los Angeles, escorted by senior officials from the NIA and the elite National Security Guard (NSG). His arrival marks a significant victory for Indian authorities after years of legal and diplomatic efforts to secure his return from the US, where he had been held in judicial custody.
“This is a major milestone in India’s pursuit of justice for the victims of the 2008 Mumbai attacks,” the NIA said in a statement, crediting the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and American authorities including the US Department of Justice, FBI, and the US Supreme Court for facilitating the extradition process.
Rana, a close associate of David Coleman Headley (also known as Daood Gilani), is accused of helping plan and facilitate the terror attacks in Mumbai, allegedly in coordination with Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI). He faces charges of criminal conspiracy, waging war against India, murder, forgery, and offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Indian investigators say Rana knowingly enabled Headley’s reconnaissance missions in Mumbai, which were critical in the execution of the LeT-led assault in November 2008.
Security has been ramped up in Delhi ahead of his court appearance, with tight arrangements reported at the NIA headquarters and the Patiala House Court complex. Rana is expected to be lodged in a high-security ward at Tihar Jail.
The extradition was personally monitored by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, in coordination with top officials from the NIA and the Home Ministry. Rana had mounted several legal challenges in US courts — including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and even the US Supreme Court — all of which were eventually denied.
