White Beard-Hair, Brown Jumpsuit…Tahawwur Rana’s First Picture After He Lands To India
Tahawwur Rana, accused of aiding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was extradited to India on Thursday and formally arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) upon landing in New Delhi around 6:30 pm. The first picture of the 64-year-old Canadian national of Pakistani origin, showing him in NIA custody, wearing a brown jumpsuit and sporting a white beard and hair. His arrival marks a significant diplomatic and legal victory for India in its years-long pursuit of justice for the 26/11 attacks, which killed 166 people.
A special Gulfstream G550 chartered flight from Los Angeles, with stops in Romania, brought Rana under high-security escort.
Following his arrival at Palam Technical Airport, Rana was immediately taken into custody after completing formal legal procedures. Armed commandos and bulletproof convoys had been stationed at the site, reflecting the high-security nature of the operation. He was then transferred to NIA headquarters, where a special high-security interrogation cell has been prepared.
The NIA confirmed the arrest through an official statement, noting that Rana was brought in by teams of the National Security Guard (NSG) and NIA officials. “He was escorted from Los Angeles to New Delhi under tight security arrangements,” the agency said.
Rana faces multiple charges under Indian law, including waging war against the nation, criminal conspiracy, murder, and violations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He is expected to be produced before a Delhi court soon and will be lodged in Tihar Jail, where security has been significantly heightened ahead of his arrival.
Sources say senior criminal lawyer Dayan Krishnan will lead the prosecution team on behalf of the NIA, alongside Special Public Prosecutor Narendra Mann. A special NIA court in Delhi will conduct the trial, and Rana will not be transferred to Mumbai.
The case files related to the 26/11 attacks have already been submitted to the court of District Judge Vimal Kumar Yadav. The NIA has restricted access to Rana’s interrogation cell to 12 key officers, including Director General Sadanand Date, IG Ashish Batra, and DIG Jaya Roy.
As part of the extradition treaty with the US, India has assured that Rana will not be subjected to torture, will receive adequate security in custody, and will only be prosecuted for the crimes for which he has been extradited.
Rana is known to have been closely associated with David Coleman Headley, a co-conspirator in the 26/11 attacks. Headley, a US national, had previously testified that Rana provided logistical and financial assistance for the planning and execution of the terror operation.
The 2008 Mumbai terror attacks were one of the deadliest in India’s history. Ten heavily armed terrorists from Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba targeted multiple locations in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal Hotel, CST railway station, and Nariman House, in a 60-hour siege that shook the nation and drew global condemnation.
With Rana now in Indian custody, the trial is set to begin under tight surveillance, offering hope of long-awaited justice to the victims and their families.
