The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun interrogating Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key conspirator in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, following his extradition from the United States. Rana, a Pakistan-born Canadian businessman, was brought to India after years of legal proceedings in the US, including his failed appeals against extradition.

He is currently in 18-day custody at the NIA headquarters in Delhi under tight security measures.

Rana is accused of playing a significant role in planning and facilitating the attacks that killed 166 people and injured over 238.

He allegedly assisted David Coleman Headley, his childhood friend and co-conspirator, in conducting reconnaissance of attack sites and obtaining an Indian visa using forged documents. Rana also provided logistical support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terror group responsible for the attacks.

Rana is being kept in a highly-secured cell, inside the anti-terror agency's head office at CGO complex here, being guarded by security personnel round the clock, the sources said.

A 24x7 surveillance is being maintained and Rana has been provided with basic necessities like food and meals among others, they said.

The interrogation aims to uncover:

Rana's connections with Pakistan-based terror groups like LeT and Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI).

His suspected links to officials of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), including operatives like Major Iqbal.

Details of his travels across Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, and Agra shortly before the attacks.

Investigators are also exploring whether Rana's visits were part of a larger conspiracy targeting multiple locations across India.

Rana's custodial interrogation coincides with Sadanand Vasant Date's tenure as NIA Director General. Date, a decorated IPS officer from the Maharashtra cadre, played a heroic role during the 26/11 attacks as Additional Commissioner of Police in Mumbai. Despite sustaining serious injuries, he fought terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail. Date assumed leadership of the NIA in March 2024, bringing extensive experience in anti-terror operations and investigations.

The NIA has intensified its probe into Rana's role, reconstructing events from 2008 to uncover crucial evidence about his involvement and broader connections within the terror network. His interrogation is expected to provide insights into whether tactics used in Mumbai were intended for execution elsewhere.

Rana was formally arrested upon his arrival in India and presented before a special NIA court, which granted custodial interrogation. The court mandated regular medical check-ups for Rana and allowed him to meet his lawyer every alternate day. Security around the NIA headquarters has been heightened with personnel from CRPF and Delhi Police guarding its premises.

Rana joined the conspiracy for the Mumbai attacks as early as 2005 while being associated with LeT and HuJI. He is considered a close associate of Headley, who played a pivotal role in planning the carnage. Rana's extradition marks a significant step in India's efforts to bring key conspirators to justice.

PTI