India Ends 16-Year Wait as 26/11 Conspirator Tahawwur Rana Extradited to Delhi for Trial

After more than 16 years, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, one of the key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has finally been extradited to India from the United States. He arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening under tight security and will now face trial for his alleged role in the deadly 26/11 attacks that killed 166 people and injured over 230.

Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian businessman and former officer in the Pakistan Army’s medical corps, landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport around 6 PM. He was immediately taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after completing legal procedures and a medical check-up at the airport. Later that night, he was brought before a judge at Patiala House Court, where the NIA requested 20 days of custody. The court granted 18 days of custody to allow the agency to interrogate him and uncover more about the conspiracy behind the attacks.

Rana is accused of helping his close associate, David Coleman Headley (also known as Daood Gilani), who scouted locations in Mumbai for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terror group behind the attacks. Both LeT and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI), with which Rana also has alleged links, are declared terrorist organizations under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Rana was first arrested in the U.S. in 2009, just months after the Mumbai attacks. He had been held in U.S. custody while India worked through diplomatic and legal channels to bring him back. The extradition process was lengthy, as Rana fought against it in multiple U.S. courts. However, all his appeals — including two habeas corpus petitions and an emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court — were eventually denied.

The NIA stated that this successful extradition was possible due to sustained efforts and close coordination between Indian and U.S. authorities. A team of Indian officials, including members of the NIA, National Security Guard (NSG), and intelligence agencies, traveled to the U.S. to bring him back.

Strict security arrangements were in place throughout the process. Ahead of Rana’s arrival, Delhi Police’s special prisoner transport unit was called to the airport. Barricades were set up around Patiala House Court, and even the nearest metro station gate (JLN Metro Gate No. 2) was closed as a precaution.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah called the extradition a major diplomatic success of the Modi government. He said it reflected India’s commitment to bringing terrorists to justice. However, the Congress party challenged this claim. Former Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that the extradition was the result of years of effort, starting under the earlier UPA government, and should not be seen as a political victory.

Rana’s return to India marks a significant step in delivering justice for one of the worst terror attacks in the country’s history. He is now in NIA custody, and investigations are expected to continue to uncover further details about the planning and execution of the 26/11 attacks.