Tahawwur Rana in Shackles: First Photos as He is Handed Over to Indian Authorities

Tahawwur Rana Extradited to India: In NIA Custody for 18 Days in Ongoing Probe into Mumbai Terror Attacks

One day after being extradited from the US, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a co-conspirator of the notorious 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was received by Indian officials. The first ever images of Rana, visibly chained and with his back to the camera, were taken when he was formally relinquished from US Marshals to Indian officials. These photographs were released by the US Department of Justice, a historic moment in upholding justice for the atrocities that occurred in Mumbai.

As he arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) formally arrested Rana and produced him before the NIA Special Court in Patiala House late in the same evening. The court allowed the NIA a 18-day custody of Rana, an important time frame in which the authorities seek to question him thoroughly to find out the full conspiracy that resulted in the fatal attacks, which killed 166 people and injured more than 238 others.

In the course of the court proceedings, the NIA presented strong evidence in favor of their plea for Rana’s custody, such as incriminating emails exchanged by him. They stressed the need to interrogate Rana, claiming it was crucial to deconstruct the evil conspiracy behind the carefully planned attacks. Media reports suggest that Rana had a close association with David Coleman Headley, who is the main accused in the Mumbai attacks. The NIA reported that Rana purportedly conspired with Headley and members of designated terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI), in plotting the horrific attacks.

The NIA has categorically maintained that both LeT and HUJI have been identified as terrorist organizations by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. While presenting their case against Rana, the agency emphasized his crucial role in liaising with other co-conspirators based in Pakistan to conduct the attacks.

First, the NIA had requested a 20-day custody for Rana, but the court gave him only 18 days. In addition, the court ordered a full medical checkup before he comes to court at the end of the remand period. The Counsel of Delhi State Legal Services Authority assured that all of Rana’s medical needs would be fulfilled during his custody.

As the probe develops, the NIA’s further questioning of Tahawwur Rana is expected to throw light on pivotal details of the conspiracy with the aim of bringing all those involved to book for the horrific events of November 2008.