Mumbai Police on Wednesday clarified that any decision to take custody of Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, will depend on the specific grounds detailed in his extradition order from the United States.
Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, is being extradited to India in connection with a 2009 criminal conspiracy case registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) related to the 2008 attacks that left over 170 people dead and hundreds injured. The case was initially lodged by the NIA in Delhi.
While the extradition is based on the central NIA case, officials from the Mumbai Crime Branch stated that they are awaiting clarity on whether they can seek Rana’s custody for any local investigations tied to the attacks.
“Only after reviewing the specific grounds of extradition will we know if the Mumbai Crime Branch can take custody of Rana,” police sources said, adding that no official communication has been received yet regarding his transfer to Mumbai for interrogation or legal proceedings.
Rana, who was earlier convicted in the US for aiding members of the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had challenged his extradition citing serious health concerns, including an abdominal aortic aneurysm, Parkinson’s disease, and symptoms suggestive of bladder cancer.
He also claimed that extraditing him to India would endanger his life, arguing he would be targeted due to his nationality and religious identity.
However, his legal efforts hit a dead end after the US Supreme Court on April 7 rejected his plea for a stay on extradition. The order stated, “The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied.” An earlier request for relief was also turned down by Justice Elena Kagan in March.
Reacting to the development, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar welcomed the US decision and reaffirmed India’s commitment to bring those responsible for the Mumbai attacks to justice.
“There’s nothing new to add on the Tahawwur Rana issue, except that we welcome the decision of the American legal process,” Jaishankar said during the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025.
The extradition of Rana marks a significant step forward in India’s pursuit of accountability for the 26/11 attacks, widely regarded as one of the deadliest terror incidents in Indian history.
