A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Friday sent the 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind Tahawwur Rana to 18-day NIA custody, hours after he arrived in India following his extradition from the U.S.
Rana landed on a special flight in New Delhi on Thursday evening and was arrested by the probe agency upon his arrival.
In a statement, the NIA said it secured his extradition after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice.
The NIA said in a statement that Tahawwur Rana was being held in judicial custody in the U.S. pursuant to proceedings initiated under the India-U.S. Extradition Treaty for his extradition.
“The extradition finally came through after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to stay the move,” the statement read.
Dummy Code For Rana’s Flight
According to reports, a dummy code was used for the Gulfstream G550 jet that brought Rana to India.
Taking utmost care in Rana’s extradition, a dummy code was prepared for the chartered plane, Gulfstream G550, that carried him to India. This was so that he could not be traced on public flight trackers and the risk of attack could be reduced, reported Navbharat Times.
May Be Lodged In Tihar Jail
Rana could currently be lodged in Delhi’s high-security Tihar Jail.
He may eventually be moved to Mumbai to face trial, sources told NDTV.
Rana’s Extradition Row
The Indian government had been pursuing Rana’s extradition for 17 years for his role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks that resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including security personnel and foreign nationals.
The businessman, holding both Pakistani and Canadian citizenship, is one of the key accused in the brutal attack.
He assisted David Coleman Headley, another co-conspirator, by conducting reconnaissance and providing logistical support for the coordinated assault on Mumbai carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Investigators allege that Rana used his immigration services firm as a front to help Headley pose as an American citizen while collecting intelligence in India.
Following prolonged legal proceedings, courts in the United States authorised his extradition based on his involvement in the conspiracy.
Rana arrived in India just two months after US President Donald Trump, during his meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi, said his administration approved the extradition of the 26/11 attacks accused.
Mumbai Attacks
The 26/11 attacks are considered one of the major terror incidents that India has recorded.
The attacks left 166 people dead and hundreds of others injured.
Over the course of nearly 60 hours starting November 26, 2008, ten operatives from Lashkar-e-Taiba struck multiple locations in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and the Jewish Chabad House. Planned in Pakistan, the attacks drew international condemnation.
Ajmal Kasab, the sole attacker captured alive, was later tried and executed, while several other accused have yet to face justice.
(With inputs from IBNS)
