A special NIA court on Friday sent Tahawwur Rana to 18-day custody of the National Investigation Agency following his extradition from the United States.
Rana, 64, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin who had been living in Chicago, was flown to New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on a special flight from Los Angeles on Thursday. The aircraft was escorted by officials from the NIA and the National Security Guard (NSG), and included senior officers involved in the case.
Upon his arrival in the capital, Rana was formally arrested by the NIA team after the completion of all legal formalities.
In a statement, the NIA confirmed that Rana’s extradition was the result of “years of sustained and concerted efforts” by Indian authorities. He had been in U.S. judicial custody following the initiation of extradition proceedings under the India-U.S. Extradition Treaty.
The process involved multiple legal battles in American courts, including an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court — all of which were ultimately rejected.
The agency acknowledged the “active assistance” of several American institutions, including the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI’s Legal Attaché in New Delhi, and the U.S. State Department’s legal office.
Both the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) played pivotal roles in facilitating the legal and diplomatic processes required for Rana’s extradition, working in close coordination with agencies in the United States. Indian intelligence agencies also worked closely with the NIA throughout the extradition process.
Rana’s extradition and arrest are being viewed as a significant development in India’s ongoing mission to hold accountable all those involved in the planning and execution of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which claimed 166 lives and left hundreds injured.
The NIA is expected to interrogate Rana to gather further insights into the conspiracy and uncover links to other individuals involved in the attack.
IANS
