Tahawwur Rana extradited to India: Who is he, what's his role in 26/11, and what will happen next?

Tahawwur Rana extradited to India: Eknath Omble, brother of Ashok Chakra awardee and 26/11 hero Tukaram Omble, on Thursday called the extradition of Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana a ‘big day’. Omble urged the Union government to hang Rana.

Ashok Chakra Awardee Tukaram Omble, a sub-inspector in Mumbai police, held onto terrorist Ajmal Kasab's rifle, ensuring his arrest, but fell to the bullets during the 26/11 terror attack.

"Many innocent people and policemen were killed. It was a painful night. Tahawwur Rana was the closest ally of David Headley, who was the mastermind of the attack - they all should have been hanged earlier. I have a request from the government that he (Tahawwur Rana) should be hanged as soon as possible," Eknath Omble told ANI.

Rana was successfully extradited and arrested, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Thursday, as a special flight carrying the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind arrived in Delhi.

Devika Rotawan, a survivor of the 26/11 attacks, also hailed Rana's extradition from the US as a big win for India and sought capital punishment for him.

Here is a short explanation of Tahawwur Rana, his role in the 26/11 Mumbai attack, and what is next for him.

Who is Tahawwur Hussain Rana?

Born in Chichawatni city in Sahiwal district of Pakistan's Punjab province, Rana, 64, is a Canadian national and close associate of one of the main conspirators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen.

After studying medicine, Rana worked in the Pakistan Army's medical corps. He migrated to Canada in the late 1990s and later got Canadian citizenship.

In Canada, Rana started his own business as an immigration services provider through his 'First World Immigration Services' venture. Rana then moved to the US and set up an office in Chicago.

What is Rana’s connection with Headley?

Headly is one of the key conspirators of the 2008 bombings that killed 166 people, including 20 security force personnel and 26 foreigners, in several parts of India's financial capital - Mumbai. Headley is serving a 35-year prison sentence in the United States.

Born in the US to a Pakistani father and American mother, Headley is said to be Rana's childhood friend. After his birth, his family moved to Pakistan, where he attended school in Hasan Abdal city in Attock district. This is where Headley befriended Rana.

Rana's role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks?

On November 11, 2009, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case under section 121 A of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 6(2) SAARC Convention (Suppression of Terrorism) Act against Headley, Rana and others.

Headley, a resident of Chicago, Illinois, and Rana entered into a criminal conspiracy with members of Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami (HUJI) to commit terrorist acts in New Delhi and other places in India.

In November 2012, Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

Investigation officials say Rana had assisted Headley in obtaining a visa for India and established 'Immigrant Law Centre' in Mumbai, which acted as a front.

Rana aware of Headley's terror links

Rana was allegedly aware of Headley's terror links and even helped in reconnaissance of targets in Mumbai and planning the attacks on the National Defence College in New Delhi and Chabad House in Mumbai.

Rana also visited Hapur (Uttar Pradesh), Delhi, Agra, Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai in the country with his wife Samraz Rana Akhtar between November 13 and November 21, 2008.

Headley had gone to the US and met Rana in June 2006 where they discussed their future action plan, the officials told PTI. Rana also remained in contact with Major Iqbal, another co-conspirator of the 26/11 attacks.

During his first visit to India, Headley spoke to Rana over the phone more than 32 times. Subsequently, Headley spoke with Rana 23 times during his second visit, 40 times during the third visit, 37 times during the fifth visit, 33 times during the sixth visit and 66 times during the eighth visit, officials said, explaining his active involvement in the Mumbai attack conspiracy.

Where was Rana in the US?

Rana was lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles before being extradited to India.

In October 2009, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the US arrested Rana in Chicago for providing support for an aborted plan to LeT attack on a newspaper office in Copenhagen (Denmark). Although acquitted of direct charges related to the 26/11 attacks by a US court, Rana was convicted for other terror-related offences and sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2011.

What next after Rana's extradition?

Rana is likely to be kept in NIA's custody after due legal process for further questioning to ascertain the role of Pakistani state actors behind the 26/11 attacks, according to news agency PTI. His interrogation may shed new light on the investigation.

Officials are also believed to be exploring the option of keeping him in a highly-secured cell in Tihar prison. His extradition from the US could also provide important leads into his travels in parts of northern and southern India days before the 2008 Mumbai attacks, they said.

During the investigation, the roles of senior LeT and HUJI functionaries, namely Hafiz Muhammad Saeed alias Tayyaji, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Sajjid Majid alias Wasi, Illyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed alias Major Abdur Rehman alias Pasha in the attack case have emerged, the PTI report said. They were working in active connivance and assistance from ISI officers, the officials told PTI.

The NIA special court, Patiala House, has issued non-bailable warrants against all the accused persons.

Headley and Rana were arrested by law enforcement agencies in the US in their case. Consequent upon the request of the NIA, the Interpol and the CBI issued red notices against the remaining seven absconding accused persons.

What is the punishment?

The NIA, after completion of its investigation, filed chargesheet before the court on December 24, 2011 against all the accused under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), read with 121, 121A, 302, 468 and 471 Indian Penal Code and sections 16,18 & 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

According to the NIA's charge sheet filed in 2011, Rana played a critical role in planning the 26/11 attacks. The punishment for criminal conspiracy depends upon the nature of the offence, which is the object of the conspiracy.

A convict can be sentenced to the death penalty or life imprisonment if the conspiracy involves offences like murder punishable with death or life term.

How was Rana's extradition processed?

India has been trying to extradite Rana for many years because of his association with LeT and HuJI, Headley and his active involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

Rana exhausted all his legal options available to such subjects in the US and is in India to face the law.

During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House in February, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil people of the world" Rana "to face justice in India".

(With agency inputs)