NIA begins grilling Tahawwur Rana
Rana was produced before a special NIA court after his formal arrest on arrival at Delhi airport on Thursday, following his successful extradition from US
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun questioning of Mumbai attacks mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana to unravel the larger conspiracy behind the deadly terror strikes of 2008, official sources said. The investigation is being led by NIA’s Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Jaya Roy, who is also the Chief Investigating Officer, they said.
Also read: How Indian security officials paved way for 26/11 accused Rana's extradition
Rana was brought to the NIA headquarters early Friday morning after a Delhi court granted 18-day custody to the probe agency, following his extradition from the US.
Focus on possible LeT link
Rana is being kept in a highly-secured cell, inside the anti-terror agency's head office at CGO complex in New Delhi, being guarded by security personnel round the clock, the sources said.
A 24x7 surveillance is being maintained and Rana has been provided with basic necessities like food and meals among others, they said.
“Rana will remain in NIA custody for 18 days, during which time the agency will question him in detail in order to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the deadly 2008 attacks, in which a total of 166 persons were killed and over 238 injured,” said a statement issued by the probe agency soon after the court's order.
It is learnt that the interrogation is focused on getting more details on his possible connection with Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which had orchestrated the attacks.
Extradition and arrest
The anti-terror agency had produced Rana before the NIA Special Court at Patiala House after formally placing him under arrest on his arrival at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport on Thursday (April 10) evening, following his successful extradition from the US.
Also read: Tahawwur Rana's extradition big success of Modi govt: Amit Shah
The court on Friday sent Rana to 18-day NIA custody, following which he was brought from Patiala House courts complex to the NIA headquarters in a heavily-secured motorcade comprising Delhi Police's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and other security personnel.
Where is Rana being kept?
Rana will be kept in a highly secured cell inside the anti-terror agency's head office at CGO complex in Delhi, officials said.
"Rana will remain in NIA custody for 18 days, during which time the agency will question him in detail in order to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the deadly 2008 attacks, in which a total of 166 persons were killed and over 238 injured," said a statement issued by the probe agency soon after the court's order.
Also read: US SC rejects 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana’s plea seeking stay on extradition to India
How NIA secured extradition
NIA had secured Rana's extradition from the US following years of sustained efforts, and after the terror mastermind's last-ditch efforts to get a stay on his extradition from the US failed.
Rana was brought to New Delhi Thursday evening, escorted by teams of NSG and NIA, comprising senior officials, on a special plane from Los Angeles.
The extradition finally came through after Rana's various litigations and appeals, including an emergency application before the US Supreme Court, were rejected.
Also read: Extradition from US: The 'conduct' vs 'elements' factor that worked against Rana
With the coordinated efforts of India's Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, along with the relevant authorities in the United States, the surrender warrant for the wanted terrorist was eventually secured and the extradition was carried out, the statement said.
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Live Updates
- 11 April 2025 2:42 PM
Rana's extradition defining moment in fight against terrorism: Ashwani Kumar
Former law minister Ashwani Kumar on Friday described the extradition of Mumbai terror attacks accused Tahawwur Rana as a defining moment in the nation's fight against terrorism, saying the matter should not be politicised to apportion blame or to claim exclusive credit for the move.
"The nation expects political parties to rise above partisan politics and demonstrate maturity of our democratic process. The extradition of Tahawwur Rana is a defining moment in the nation's fight against terrorism.
"It is a vindication of the nation's collective resolve to bring to justice all those waging an undeclared war against India," Kamar, who served as the law minister in the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government from 2012-2013, said in a statement.
Kumar also said that despite the complex legal and diplomatic formalities involved in extradition cases, the concerned authorities in India successfully navigated these challenges to vindicate justice and "to pay our debt to the martyrs and victims of the heinous terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008".
"Considering that the UPA government initiated the entire process of extradition of Rana by chargsheeting him in 2011, it is wrong to suggest that the earlier government was remiss in pursuing Rana.
"It is only right that the matter is not politicised to apportion blame or to claim exclusive credit for the successful extradition of Rana. The nation expects political parties to rise above partisan politics, at least where terrorism is concerned, and demonstrate the maturity of our democratic politics," he said. PTI
- 11 April 2025 2:40 PM
Rana extradition: Sibal lauds UPA, current govt
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday congratulated the previous UPA government and the current dispensation over Mumbai attacks mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana's extradition and expressed confidence that it will now become clear who all from Pakistan's establishment were involved.
"I remember the NIA was established during the UPA. A new law was required and the NIA was formed when P. Chidambaram was the minister," Sibal said in a press conference.
Sibal, who was a minister in the successive UPA governments, said the accused in the case was David Headley, Rana and some people whose names are not known.
He pointed out that Rana was arrested in Chicago and he was acquitted as some charges were not proven.
Sibal said the NIA had expressed dissatisfaction at the time when the US authorities failed to include certain charges against Rana.
"He was in Pakistan Army and then became a Canadian citizen. We showed our displeasure and we tried to take him in our custody. Many delegations went and tried to extradite him. A chargesheet was filed against Rana and Headley," said Sibal.
"The NIA team reached the US where Headley was in custody. The NIA team got an opportunity to examine and we got to know how this conspiracy was plotted," he added.
The Rajya Sabha MP said that it would now become clear who all in the Pakistani establishment were involved in the attacks.
- 11 April 2025 12:45 PM
NIA begins grilling Tahawwur Rana
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun questioning Mumbai attacks mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana to unravel the larger conspiracy behind the deadly terror strikes of 2008, official sources said.
They said the investigation is being led by NIA's Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Jaya Roy, who is also the Chief Investigating Officer.
- 11 April 2025 9:06 AM
Rana planned similar attacks in multiple Indian cities, says NIA
The National Investigation Agency has argued in a Delhi court that it suspects terror plots akin to 26/11 Mumbai attacks were devised by key conspirator Tahawwur Rana to target multiple Indian cities.
NIA made the claim before special judge Chander Jit Singh, who remanded Rana to 18-day NIA custody.
In its order, the judge directed the NIA to conduct medical examination of Rana every 24 hours, and allow him to meet his lawyer every alternate day.
The judge allowed Rana to use only a soft-tip pen and meet his lawyer in the presence of the NIA officials within an audible distance.
During the arguments, the NIA said Rana's custody was required to piece together the full scope of the conspiracy, and submitted he was required to be taken to various locations for retracing the events that took place 17 years ago.
"His (Rana) prolonged custody has been deemed necessary to facilitate an extensive interrogation aimed at uncovering deeper layers of the conspiracy. We suspect that the tactics used in the Mumbai attacks were intended for execution in other cities as well, prompting investigators to examine whether similar plots were developed elsewhere," the NIA is believed to have informed the judge, a source said.
- 11 April 2025 7:56 AM
Security upped at NIA headquarters as Tahawwur Rana kept in custody there
Security has been stepped up outside the NIA headquarters where Mumbai attacks mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana has been lodged after the agency secured his 18-day custody following his extradition from the US.
"We have stepped up security arrangements outside the NIA headquarters to maintain law and order. Additional police and paramilitary force personnel have been deployed," a senior police officer said.
He said that no one will be allowed to breach law and order.
The extradition plane carrying Rana landed at the Delhi airport Thursday and he was produced before a special court by the agency. Special NIA judge Chander Jit Singh sent him to 18-day custody.
After securing his custody, the NIA took Rana to its headquarters early Friday in a heavily-secured motorcade comprising Delhi Police's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and other security personnel.
The 64-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman, a close associate of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks main conspirator David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen, was brought to India after the US Supreme Court on April 4 dismissed his review plea against his extradition.
- 11 April 2025 7:46 AM
#WATCH | On Tahawwur Rana's extradition, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal says, "After 16 years, due to efforts made by the central govt and diplomacy of PM Modi - the accused of Mumbai terror attack has now been brought to India. He will not only be hanged but as he is in the custody of… pic.twitter.com/xEMCxcXkO0
— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2025
