NIA gets custody 18-day custody of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana after historic US extradition

In a major development in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, a Delhi court late on April 10 sent Pakistani-origin Canadian national Tahawwur Hussain Rana to 18 days of National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody.

The move follows his high-security extradition from the US — 15 years after the deadly assault on Mumbai left 166 people dead.

Rana, a key accused with close ties to terror operative David Coleman Headley, was produced before a special NIA court at Patiala House shortly after arriving at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The NIA had sought 20 days of custody, citing crucial evidence including email communications and suspected coordination with other conspirators. The court granted 18 days.

Brought to court under an elaborate security cover that included a prison van, a Mahindra Marksman SWAT vehicle, and an ambulance, Rana was presented before Special NIA Judge Chander Jit Singh. Inside the courtroom, Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan, representing the NIA, argued that Rana’s custodial interrogation was essential to verify and expand upon evidence linking him to a wider conspiracy to carry out terrorist attacks in India.

According to NIA submissions, Rana’s communication with Headley allegedly contains detailed references to assets, logistics, and other individuals — including Ilyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman — implicated in the Mumbai attacks. The agency also informed the court that Headley had emailed Rana a comprehensive list of his possessions in anticipation of legal trouble, further supporting claims of collusion.

As a precautionary measure, Delhi Police cleared the court premises of media personnel and the public prior to Rana’s appearance, citing security concerns.

The NIA, in a statement, acknowledged extensive collaboration with U.S. authorities — including the Department of Justice, Sky Marshals, and India’s own Ministry of External Affairs and Home Affairs — in securing Rana’s extradition. A high-security cell has been prepared at NIA headquarters for his interrogation.

A top-tier team of 12 NIA officials — led by Director General Sadanand Date, IG Ashish Batra, and DIG Jaya Roy—has been assigned to question Rana. Only these officials will have access to him, and he will be presented with a range of materials including voice samples, video footage, and emails, some of which allegedly establish his connections to Pakistan’s intelligence network.

Rana’s arrival came just hours after Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued a carefully worded statement distancing itself from him, claiming that he had not renewed any Pakistani documentation in the past two decades and now holds Canadian citizenship. Indian intelligence sources view this as a calculated move, citing fears within Islamabad that Rana could expose the role of Pakistan’s military-intelligence establishment in orchestrating the 2008 attacks.

“Pakistan fears Rana will spill the beans… this sudden disavowal is nothing but strategic panic,” a senior counter-terrorism official said.

Israel welcomed Rana’s extradition, with Ambassador Reuven Azar thanking the Indian government for “its persistence in bringing the terrorists to justice.”

Rana’s extradition marks the end of a protracted legal battle under the 1997 India-US Extradition Treaty. His final plea to halt deportation was rejected by the US Supreme Court, which found his arguments—including potential violation of the UN Convention Against Torture —unconvincing.

Authorities are currently weighing options for his eventual incarceration, with high-security cells being readied at both Tihar Jail in Delhi and Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the Central government has appointed senior advocate Narender Mann as the Special Public Prosecutor for the NIA’s case against Rana under RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI, to oversee prosecution for a term of three years or until the trial concludes.

Rana’s alleged role stems from his association with David Headley, who carried out reconnaissance for Lashkar-e-Taiba. Though acquitted by a US court in 2011 of direct involvement in the Mumbai attacks, Rana was convicted for plotting to bomb a Danish newspaper and served a 14-year sentence.

He was re-arrested in 2020 following India’s fresh extradition request. In addition to conspiracy and terrorism charges, he now faces potential capital punishment under Indian law. Intelligence agencies have also revealed that Rana visited several Indian cities—including Mumbai, Delhi, and Kochi—prior to the attacks, trips believed to be tied to operational planning.

“Once we interrogate Rana on Indian soil, we will be able to conclusively establish the purpose of these visits and the role he played in the build-up to 26/11,” an NIA source said.