Tahawwur Rana 26/11 Mastermind, to Arrive in India Soon

According to news agency PTI, sources expect authorities to bring Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the key planner of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, to India “soon.” Indian government sources confirmed that a multi-agency team has traveled to the US, and US authorities are processing all necessary paperwork and legal formalities.

PTI, quoting sources, reported that authorities see a “very high possibility” of extraditing Tahawwur Rana “soon.” However, it is also clarified that he will not be arriving in India on Wednesday, as the extradition process is still ongoing.

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The Times of India reports that Delhi and Mumbai authorities must prepare special jail arrangements for Tahawwur Rana, following US judicial guidelines. He is likely to remain in NIA custody upon arrival. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and senior MHA officials are closely monitoring the extradition process. This comes after the US Supreme Court rejected Rana’s final appeal to block his extradition, bringing him closer to facing trial for the 26/11 attacks.

In an order dated April 7, 2025, the US Supreme Court stated, “The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied.” Rana submitted the emergency application to Chief Justice John Roberts on March 20.

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This follows a similar rejection in March by Justice Elena Kagan. The justices circulated his latest request for consideration in a conference held on April 4.

26/11 Accused Rana Opposes Extradition Citing Severe Health Issues and Safety Concerns

Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 attacks, cited serious health issues to oppose extradition. He claimed his deteriorating condition — including an abdominal aortic aneurysm, Parkinson’s disease with cognitive decline, and a mass potentially indicating bladder cancer — would endanger his life if sent to India. He further argued that he feared others would target him due to religious and cultural bias.

In February, US President Donald Trump confirmed during a joint press briefing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that authorities would send Rana to India to face justice.

Rana arranged travel documents for his childhood friend, David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American, allowing him to visit India and conduct reconnaissance on potential targets before the attacks. Headley, operating under the alias Dawood Gilani, used Rana’s immigration firm, First World International, as a cover during his missions in Mumbai.

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Rana, who praised the 26/11 attacks and claimed the attackers deserved Pakistan’s top military honors, Indian agencies have never questioned. His extradition follows years of effort by India, with a formal request in 2020 and confirmation from US President Trump earlier this year .Once in India, authorities will interrogate Rana for the first time and take him to cities like Mumbai, Agra, and Ahmedabad, where he participated in the plot.

Officials believe that Rana’s interrogation could reveal crucial details about the Pakistani handlers, including those from the ISI and Pakistan Army, who planned and funded the 26/11 attacks. To date, authorities have prosecuted only Ajmal Kasab, the sole terrorist captured alive, for the attacks.

Headley, who struck a plea deal, currently serves a 35-year sentence in the US after the FBI arrested him in 2009.

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