NEW DELHI: Tahawwur Rana, one of the key conspirators behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is expected to land in Delhi on Thursday, where a specially formed multi-agency team is set to begin his interrogation. The team comprises officials from two intelligence agencies, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and a group of psychologists specializing in criminology.
Ahead of his arrival, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a high-level meeting on Wednesday evening to review security protocols and strategize the interrogation process.
The Times of India was the first to report on Rana’s extradition. His custody was transferred to Indian authorities in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. The US Federal Bureau of Prisons has updated its records, showing Rana’s register number (22829-424) as “Not in BOP custody as of 04/08/2025.”
A team of Indian officials based in the US was responsible for facilitating Rana’s transfer. According to sources, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Jaya Roy of the NIA, who is leading the investigation, signed the ‘surrender warrant’ on Tuesday. The escort team departed early Wednesday morning around 6:30 a.m., with a brief stopover planned en route to Delhi.
The NIA is currently headed by Sadanand Date, a senior IPS officer from the Maharashtra cadre, who was among the responders at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus during the 2008 attack. Rana’s associate in orchestrating the carnage, David Coleman Headley, had helped identify key targets for the terrorists.
Investigators are expected to question Rana about the involvement of Pakistani state actors in the 26/11 plot, the operational structure of the ISI, Lashkar-e-Taiba’s network of local collaborators, and their funding channels. Officials acknowledge the challenge ahead, describing Rana as a “hardened terrorist” with experience in interrogation settings. “He’s likely to use deflection tactics and could attempt to mislead us. This won’t be easy or quick,” a source familiar with the investigation said.
Rana, 64, is reported to have already secured legal representation. Due to security concerns, his court appearances may be avoided, with remand proceedings possibly conducted behind closed doors, sources added.
