Tahawwur Rana, a 64-year-old Canadian businessman of Pakistani origin, arrived in New Delhi on Thursday following his extradition from the United States in connection with the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks. This marks the first time the U.S. has extradited an individual to India in a terrorism-related case.
Rana, a former doctor who later turned to business, is accused of being a key conspirator in the November 2008 assault that claimed 166 lives across multiple locations in Mumbai, including luxury hotels, a Jewish center, and the city’s main train station.
India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) confirmed the extradition, stating it followed “years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator to justice.” Rana was escorted by Indian security officials after his appeals to prevent extradition were rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah described the extradition as a “significant diplomatic success” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, emphasizing that it is India’s duty to pursue and prosecute individuals responsible for harming its citizens and sovereignty.
India had formally requested Rana’s extradition in June 2020. His transfer was announced earlier this year by former U.S. President Donald Trump during a joint appearance with Prime Minister Modi.
Rana was previously convicted in the United States in 2013 and sentenced to 14 years in prison for supporting the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the attacks.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, when asked about Rana’s background, noted that he had not applied to renew his Pakistani-origin documents for over 20 years.
Rana’s defense attorney has maintained that he was a “good man” who was inadvertently drawn into the plot.
The Mumbai attacks spanned three days in November 2008 and remain one of the worst terrorist incidents in India’s history.
