The National Investigation Agency (NIA) formally recorded the arrest of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana, soon after he was brought to Delhi following his extradition from the United States.
The anti-terror agency took Rana into custody at the airport where he landed on Thursday evening. Teams of the NIA and and National Security Guard (NSG) escorted Rana on a special plane from Los Angeles.
Rana (64), a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, was being held in judicial custody in the US pursuant to proceedings initiated by the NIA under the India-US Extradition Treaty. The extradition finally came through after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to get a stay on the move.
"The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday successfully secured the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the mastermind of the deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice," the agency said in a statement.
#WATCH | Kannur, Kerala: On 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India, PV Manesh, Former NSG Commando & Shaurya Chakra Awardee who was part of the operation during the 26/11 terrorist attack, says, " In that operation, I was one of the NSG commandoes... I… pic.twitter.com/cnh7vQ5hJH
— ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2025
A District Court in California ordered his extradition of Rana on May 16, 2023. He filed multiple litigations in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, but all of them were rejected. Subsequently, Rana filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, two habeas petitions, and an emergency application before the US Supreme Court, which were also denied.
The NIA statement noted that the extradition proceedings were initiated between the two countries after India secured a surrender warrant for the wanted terrorist from the US government.
"With the active assistance of USDoJ, the US Sky Marshal, NIA worked closely with other Indian intelligence agencies, NSG through the entire extradition process, which also saw India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs coordinating with the other relevant authorities in the United States to take the matter to its successful conclusion," it said.
On 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India, Former Puducherry LG and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi speaks to ANI.
— ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2025
She says, "Tihar jail has previously housed hardened criminals, separatists and terrorists. However, Rana's case requires extraordinary… pic.twitter.com/f8xoNjfxRX
Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, and operatives of designated terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co- conspirators, to carry out the terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008. A total of 166 persons were killed and over 238 injured in the deadly attacks.
