Mumbai Terror Suspect Tahawwur Rana Remanded in Custody Following Extradition from US

Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistan-born Canadian businessman, has been remanded in Indian custody for 18 days after being extradited from the United States in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Rana, 64, arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening and was arrested by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA). He is accused of assisting in the attacks by supporting the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba alongside David Headley, his childhood friend and key planner of the assault.

The 2008 attacks left 166 people dead and hundreds injured over a three-day siege in Mumbai. Rana’s extradition marks a significant step in India’s pursuit of justice, particularly for the six Americans among the victims.

Rana was presented in a special court under tight security on Friday, and the NIA confirmed he will be thoroughly interrogated to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.

Though a US court previously acquitted Rana of direct involvement in the attacks, he was convicted in 2011 of supporting Lashkar-e-Taiba and sentenced to 14 years. He was released in 2020 on health grounds but re-arrested after India filed an extradition request.

His extradition was finally approved by US President Donald Trump in February 2025, following a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The US Supreme Court later rejected Rana’s appeal to block the move.

Indian prosecutors allege Rana allowed Headley to use his Chicago-based immigration services company as a front to conduct surveillance on potential attack targets in Mumbai.

Rana now faces 10 criminal charges in India, including criminal conspiracy, waging war against the state, and terrorism.