The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday (Apr 10) successfully secured the extradition of the deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana after “years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice”, the agency said in its first statement after bringing Rana to India from the US.

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Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, is accused of playing a role in planning the 2008 attacks carried out by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in Mumbai that claimed 166 lives and injured at least 238, including those of police personnel and foreign nationals. 

Also read | 'Tahawwur Rana should be hanged', says brother of 26/11 hero Tukaram Omble

How NIA secured Rana’s extradition

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“Rana was being held in judicial custody in the US pursuant to proceedings initiated under the India-US Extradition Treaty for his extradition. The extradition finally came through after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to stay the move,” the NIA said in its statement.
 
The District Court for the Central District of California had ordered the extradition of the Mumbai terror attacks key accused on 16th May 2023. He then filed multiple litigations in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, all of which were rejected.

Also read | How Tahawwur Rana’s childhood friend Headley exposed his role in Mumbai attacks

Rana subsequently filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, two habeas petitions, and an emergency application before the US Supreme Court, which were also denied, the NIA said.

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India eventually secured a surrender warrant for the wanted terrorist from the US government, following which the extradition proceedings were initiated between the two nations. 

Also read | ‘No need for Biryani treatment,’ 26/11 hero Taufiq on Tahawwur Rana extradition

The statement added, “With the active assistance of USDoJ, the US Sky Marshal, NIA worked closely with other Indian intelligence agencies, NSG through the entire extradition process, which also saw India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs coordinating with the other relevant authorities in the United States to take the matter to its successful conclusion.” 
 
Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley, aka Daood Gilani, and operatives of designated terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to carry out the devastating coordinated terror attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008.

Also read | 'Cordial ties with US, multiple NIA visits...': How India secured Tahawwur Rana's successful extradition

The terrorists targeted key locations in the city, including CST railway station, Taj and Oberoi hotels, Chabad House, and Leopold Cafe. The siege, which went on for nearly 60 hours, resulted in 166 deaths, including foreign nationals from the US, UK, and Israel.