MUMBAI, April 11 — Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was formally arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday evening following his extradition from the United States. A Delhi special court has remanded him in NIA custody for 18 days.
Helped Headley Obtain Visa and Cover for Reconnaissance
According to a Mumbai police official familiar with the investigation, Rana played a critical role in aiding co-conspirator David Coleman Headley — a Pakistani-American involved in the attacks — by helping him secure an Indian visa. Operating through his immigration consultancy firm, Rana provided Headley with a cover to pose as a businessman, enabling him to conduct detailed reconnaissance of potential targets in Mumbai.
Rana, a former Pakistan Army medical corps officer who later emigrated to Canada and moved to the United States, ran the consultancy from his Chicago office. It was through this setup that Headley obtained a ten-year Indian visa, ultimately facilitating his movements and planning within India.
Communication With Co-Conspirators and Prior Visit to India
Investigators revealed that during Headley's stay in India, he maintained consistent communication with Rana under the guise of running a legitimate immigration business. The two exchanged over 230 phone calls during that period. Rana was also reportedly in contact with 'Major Iqbal', another alleged co-conspirator, during the same timeframe, as outlined in the NIA’s charge sheet.
Crucially, Rana himself visited Mumbai in November 2008 — just days before the attacks took place. The Mumbai police charge sheet, filed in 2023, noted that he stayed in a hotel in Powai and discussed heavily crowded areas in South Mumbai with an individual listed as a witness in the case. Several of these suggested locations were later targeted in the coordinated attacks.
Attacks That Shook the Nation
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks left 166 people dead and hundreds injured as Pakistani terrorists stormed multiple iconic sites in the city. These included the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident, Leopold Cafe, Chabad House, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station — all scouted in advance by Headley.
Rana’s arrest marks a significant development in the long-standing case, with Indian agencies now gaining direct access to interrogate him following his extradition. The investigation continues as authorities delve deeper into his involvement and links to the broader conspiracy behind one of the worst terror attacks in India’s history.
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