Tahawwur Rana extradition: Multi-agency team to grill 26/11 conspirator upon arrival in India

New Delhi: A multi-agency task force—consisting of personnel from two intelligence agencies, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and a group of criminology-focused psychologists—is set to begin questioning Tahawwur Rana, one of the masterminds in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, upon his arrival in Delhi on Thursday.

Ahead of his extradition, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar convened on Wednesday (April 9) evening to assess security protocols and finalize the strategy for handling Rana’s arrival.

Tahawwur Rana was officially handed over to Indian authorities in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website has also reflected this update, indicating that Rana is no longer in their custody. His inmate register number (22829-424) now shows the status: "Not in BOP custody as of 04/08/2025."

A group of Indian officials stationed in the U.S. was assigned to coordinate Tahawwur Rana’s return to India. According to sources, the surrender warrant was signed on Tuesday by Jaya Roy, DIG of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the chief investigating officer in the case. Following this, rapid arrangements were made to bring Rana back, with the team departing early Wednesday around 6:30 AM, including a brief stopover en route to Delhi.

Interestingly, the NIA is currently led by Sadanand Date, an IPS officer from the Maharashtra cadre. He was among the officers who responded immediately to the 26/11 attacks, rushing to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) on the night of November 26, 2008, after terrorists targeted key locations—acts planned in part by Rana’s associate, David Coleman Headley.

Tahawwur Rana, the 64-year-old Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is expected to be housed in Barrack Number 12 of Arthur Road Jail if he is brought to Mumbai to stand trial. This is the same high-security barrack where Ajmal Kasab, the Pakistani terrorist involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, was held in a bomb-proof cell prior to his execution in November 2012.

Rana’s Role in the 26/11 Attacks: From Visa Facilitation to Target Reconnaissance

As outlined in the NIA charge sheet from 2011, Tahawwur Rana played a crucial role in the planning of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He allegedly assisted David Coleman Headley in securing a visa to India and helped establish a front — the Immigrant Law Centre in Mumbai — to serve as cover for Headley's surveillance operations.

The investigation revealed that Rana was not only aware of Headley's terrorist ties but also actively supported his mission. Between November 13 and 21, 2008, Rana traveled across several Indian cities — including Hapur, Delhi, Agra, Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai — alongside his wife, during which Headley frequently contacted him.

Their coordination went beyond the Mumbai attacks, with plans reportedly targeting Chabad Houses and the National Defence College. Rana also maintained communication with Major Iqbal, believed to be an officer with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and a fellow conspirator.

Legal Timeline: From FBI Arrest to Supreme Court Rejection

Tahawwur Rana was arrested by the FBI in Chicago in 2009 in connection with a failed plot by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to target a newspaper office in Copenhagen. While a U.S. court acquitted him of direct involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, he was convicted on other terror-related charges and sentenced to 14 years in prison.

India has consistently pursued his extradition, securing a Red Corner Notice from Interpol and formally submitting an extradition request. Rana, however, fought the process through several legal channels, including two emergency stay requests in 2025—one each to U.S. Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Chief Justice John Roberts—both of which were denied.

On April 7, the U.S. Supreme Court officially rejected his final appeal, with a brief statement: “Application denied by the Court.”