Mumbai terror attack case convict Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s long-awaited extradition to India from the United States is now imminent as he is likely to arrive in the country on a special flight. A multi-agency team has gone to the US to bring him back, officials said on Wednesday.
64-year-old Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, who was lodged in Los Angeles’ Metropolitan Detention Centre before being extradited, will now set to face justice in India after a lengthy legal battle.
Rana’s extradition came after the US Supreme Court recently rejected his application to avoid being sent to India, marking the end of his legal fight in the United States.
Also Read | Mumbai terror attack: Indian officials travel to US to take custody of Tahawwur Rana
According to prison sources, Tahawwur Hussain Rana is likely to be lodged in a high-security ward in Delhi’s Tihar jail when he reaches India, PTI reported.
What’s next for Tahawwur Rana after his extradition?
Upon his arrival in India, which is expected on Thursday afternoon, Rana is likely to be produced before a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court at Patiala House in Delhi, a TOI report said.
The NIA is expected to seek custodial interrogation to confront him with evidence, including emails, travel records, and testimonies already collected. This could lead to fresh leads, which could ascertain the role of Pakistani state actors in the fateful 26/11 terror attack.
Also Read | ‘Those who attack India’s honour’: Amit Shah reacts to Tahawwur Rana’s extradition
The terror convict is likely to be lodged in a high-security ward in Tihar jail after that, prison sources said on Wednesday.
Necessary preparations have been made for lodging him in jail and the prison authorities will wait for the court order, they said.
What happened in Mumbai on 26/11 2008?
On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage, carrying out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre.
The terrorists sneaked into India’s financial capital using the sea route in the Arabian Sea.
As many as 166 people were killed in the nearly 60-hour assault that sent shockwaves across the country and even brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war.