New Delhi: A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday remanded Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, to 18 days of NIA custody. The development comes shortly after Rana’s arrival in India following his extradition from the United States.
Rana, who holds both Pakistani and Canadian citizenship, was brought to New Delhi aboard a specially chartered Gulfstream G550 jet under heavy security. Authorities reportedly used a dummy flight code to mask the plane’s journey and avoid detection on public flight trackers, citing security concerns.
“Investigations into the 26/11 Mumbai attacks uncovered that Tahawwur Rana not only played a key role in the hotel assaults but also plotted to target Mumbai’s
Jal Vayu Vihar residential colony. Former NIA IG Loknath Behera further revealed that Rana, along with David Headley, had hatched plans to strike high-profile
events like the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar and the Pushkar Mela in Rajasthan.”
He was immediately taken into custody by NIA officials upon landing on Thursday evening. Sources suggest he is currently being held in Delhi’s high-security Tihar Jail and may be transferred to Mumbai in the coming days to face trial.
In an official statement, the NIA confirmed Rana’s extradition marked the culmination of years of diplomatic and legal efforts. “Rana was in judicial custody in the United States during proceedings under the India-US Extradition Treaty. After exhausting all legal options to block the move, he was finally extradited,” the agency noted.
— NIA India (@NIA_India) April 10, 2025
The Indian government had been pursuing Rana’s extradition for 17 years for his alleged role in facilitating the 26/11 attacks, which left 166 people dead and hundreds injured. The brutal assault, executed by 10 operatives of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, targeted multiple locations in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and the Jewish Chabad House.
Rana, a businessman, is accused of assisting co-conspirator David Coleman Headley by providing logistical support and helping him conduct reconnaissance missions in Mumbai. Investigators allege that Rana used his immigration services firm as a cover to help Headley enter India and gather intelligence while posing as an American national.
Rana’s extradition comes two months after U.S. President Donald Trump informed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his administration’s decision to approve the request, during a bilateral meeting.
The 26/11 attacks, which lasted nearly 60 hours starting November 26, 2008, drew widespread international condemnation and remain one of the deadliest terror strikes in India’s history. While lone surviving attacker Ajmal Kasab was tried and executed in India, several other key conspirators, including Rana, had long evaded Indian justice.
Investigations into the 26/11 Mumbai attacks uncovered that Tahawwur Rana not only played a key role in the hotel assaults but also plotted to target Mumbai’s Jal Vayu Vihar residential colony. Former NIA IG Loknath Behera further revealed that Rana, along with David Headley, had hatched plans to strike high-profile events like the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar and the Pushkar Mela in Rajasthan.
With Rana now in Indian custody, authorities hope this long-awaited move will pave the way for further accountability in the case.
