As India prepares to take custody of Tahawwur Rana, wanted in India for his alleged involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai militant attacks, high-security arrangements are being made in select prisons in Delhi and Mumbai.
These jails have been discreetly instructed to follow special protocols in accordance with guidelines issued by the U.S. judiciary concerning extradited individuals.
Following his arrival on Wednesday, Rana is expected to remain in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for the initial weeks of interrogation. The entire operation is being coordinated under the close supervision of National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, along with top officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Tahawwur Rana, who holds Pakistani and Canadian citizenship, is alleged to have facilitated travel documents for David Coleman Headley to carry out reconnaissance in India.
Earlier this year, in February, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Rana’s extradition, stating: “Rana is going back to India to face justice.”
The extradition comes after persistent diplomatic engagement by the Indian government since 2019. That year, a formal request for his extradition was conveyed to the U.S. via a diplomatic note. Subsequently, on June 10, 2020, India filed a complaint requesting Rana’s provisional arrest to initiate the extradition process.
According to official U.S. court documents submitted by both Indian and American authorities, Rana was closely aligned with Major Iqbal of the ISI, who is said to have masterminded the Mumbai attacks. It was with David Headley that Rana laid the operational groundwork for the assault.
Investigators have also claimed that Rana travelled to India ahead of the attacks via Dubai. “He had checked into Hotel Renaissance in Powai during his visit to India between Nov 11 and Nov 21 in 2008. The attacks occurred five days after he departed,” states a police document.
The U.S. Department of Justice records reveal that both Rana and Headley were arrested by the FBI in 2009 while planning an attack on a Danish newspaper. They were also charged with aiding LeT by providing material support between 2005 and 2009.
