Tahawwur Rana, accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has been extradited from the United States and is expected to arrive in India early tomorrow morning, accompanied by a special team of intelligence and investigative officials, as per the national media report.
A special aircraft is transporting Rana and is scheduled to make a stopover at an undisclosed location before arriving in New Delhi, sources said.
In accordance with a US court’s recommendations, discreet high-security arrangements have been made at two jails in Delhi and Mumbai. Top government sources revealed that upon arrival, Rana will be presented before a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in New Delhi for custody. They added that the Mumbai Crime Branch will take over his custody at a later stage.
The extradition operation is being closely monitored by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, along with senior officials from the NIA and the Ministry of Home Affairs, sources said.
Rana, a Canadian businessman of Pakistani origin, is believed to have been an active operative of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He played a crucial role in arranging travel documents for David Coleman Headley (alias Dawood Gilani), the Pakistani-American who carried out reconnaissance of major targets ahead of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
These locations were later targeted by LeT terrorists, with logistical and strategic support allegedly provided by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.
Reports suggest that Rana had travelled to Mumbai between November 11 and 21, 2008, via Dubai. During his stay at Hotel Renaissance in Powai, he is believed to have overseen and reviewed the logistical arrangements for the planned attacks.
The coordinated attacks unfolded just five days later, on November 26, 2008, claiming the lives of over 170 people. Among the attackers, Ajmal Kasab was the only Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist captured alive and later convicted for his role in the massacre.
India formally sought Rana’s provisional arrest in June 2020, triggering the extradition process. Earlier this year, in February, US President Donald Trump confirmed Rana’s extradition, stating that he would “go to India and face justice.”
Recently, the US Supreme Court rejected Tahawwur Rana’s plea to stay his extradition to India. The 64-year-old businessman is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Los Angeles.