Special flight carrying 26/11 Mumbai attacks plotter Tahawwur Rana lands in Delhi; NIA issues statement

Tahawwur Rana Extradition: Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, arrived in India on a special flight on Thursday, April 10, after the US Supreme Court rejected a plea against his extradition.

The flight carrying Tahawwur Rana landed in Delhi at around 6:30 pm. A multi-agency team had gone to the US to bring him to India.

Rana has been brought to India after his last-ditch attempt to evade extradition failed as the US Supreme Court justices rejected his application.

In a statement, the National Investigation Agency said, “NIA 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 further added that Rana was being held in judicial custody in the US pursuant to proceedings initiated under the India-US Extradition Treaty for his extradition. 

“The extradition finally came through after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to stay the move,” added NIA.

Who is Tahawwur Rana

Rana, 64, is a Pakistan-born 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.

What Happened on 26/11/2008

On November 26, 2008, 166 people were killed after a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage, carrying out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre, after they sneaked into India's financial capital Mumbai using the Arabian sea route.

US, British and Israeli nationals were among those killed in the attack.

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

Tahawwur Rana likely to be lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail

Tahawwur Rana is likely to be lodged in a high-security ward in Tihar jail, and all necessary preparations have been made in the jail, PTI reported, quoting sources.

Rana, 64, is a Pakistan-born 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.

Extradition is a big success

On Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed Rana's extradition a big success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

“Tahawwur Rana's extradition is a big success of Prime Minister Modi's diplomacy,” the home minister said.

Special public prosecutor appointed

The Centre has appointed a special public prosecutor to conduct a trial in the case related to the Mumbai terror attack case accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is being extradited from the US and is expected to arrive here on Thursday.

In a late-night notification, the Union home ministry said advocate Narender Mann will be the special public prosecutor for three years for conducting trials and other matters related to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) case RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI (Mumbai attacks).