Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian businessman wanted in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has been extradited to India and placed in custody for 18 days. The 64-year-old arrived in Delhi on Thursday after being handed over by the United States, with India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) confirming the successful extradition.
Rana is accused of aiding the deadly attacks by collaborating with childhood friend David Headley, who helped the Lashkar-e-Taiba group plan the coordinated strikes across Mumbai that killed 166 people and injured hundreds over three days in November 2008.
Upon arrival, Rana was taken into custody by the NIA and escorted under heavy security to a special court, where he was formally remanded. According to an NIA statement issued Friday, investigators intend to conduct a detailed interrogation to uncover the full scope of the conspiracy.
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has appointed senior advocate Narendra Mann as the lead prosecutor in the case, underscoring the government’s commitment to pursuing justice in the matter.
The U.S. Embassy in Delhi confirmed that Rana will stand trial in India on ten criminal charges tied to the attacks. “Rana’s extradition is a critical step toward seeking justice for the six Americans and many others who lost their lives,” the statement read, highlighting the global imperative of holding perpetrators accountable in terrorism cases.
Although Rana was acquitted in a U.S. court in 2011 of directly plotting the attacks, he was found guilty of providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba and sentenced to 14 years in prison. He was granted early release in 2020 on medical grounds, but was later re-arrested after India filed for his extradition.
A U.S. court approved the request in 2023, and President Donald Trump reportedly gave the final nod earlier this year during discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The U.S. Supreme Court later rejected all of Rana’s appeals.
Prosecutors say Rana allowed Headley to use his Chicago-based immigration firm’s office in Mumbai as a cover to gather intelligence ahead of the 2008 attacks. He now faces charges in India including criminal conspiracy, waging war against the government, and terrorism.
