From Arrest To Extradition! 15-Year Timeline Of 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack News24 –

Tahawwur Rana In India: The 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana, who was extradited to India on Thursday will remain in the custody of the NIA for 18 days. The NIA has begun questioning Rana in detail about the “complete conspiracy” behind the deadly 2008 attacks. He was produced before the Special NIA Court at Patiala House following his extradition from the United States. NIA informed the court that custodial interrogation is crucial to uncovering a sinister plot. Investigators will also examine Rana’s role in orchestrating the deadly terror attacks. Meanwhile, Delhi State Legal Services Authority Counsel for Rana stated that the Court has given special instructions to NIA to ensure a comprehensive medical test when Rana is taken into custody and brought back to the Court.

His extradition followed the United States Supreme Court’s rejection of Rana’s request for a stay on April 7. The US Department of Justice stated that extradition is a critical step toward seeking justice for the six Americans and scores of other victims who were killed in the heinous attacks.

Tahawwur Rana Extradition Timeline

Here’s the sequence of events that led to his extradition:

Rana is the first among nine individuals named in the chargesheet filed by the NIA in December 2011. This pertained to agency’s investigation into the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. A key accused in the case, David Coleman Headley (LeT operative) is currently serving a 35-year prison sentence after his arrest in the United States. While seven others accused in the NIA are believed to be in Pakistan, which includes two officers of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Rana was also named as an accused in a supplementary chargesheet filed by the Mumbai Police in 2023. India had formally initiated the process to extradite him from the US in 2020.

3 October 2009: David Coleman Headley was arrested by the FBI for his involvement in the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

18 October 2009: FBI arrested and indicted Tahawwur Rana in connection with terrorism-related charges.

March 2010: Headley pleaded guilty to all 12 counts. This included aiding and abetting killing of six American citizens in Mumbai attacks.

9 June 2011: Jury convicted Rana, Headley for conspiring to “behead employees” of a Danish newspaper. Citing lack of evidence, they acquitted Rana on charges related to 26/11 attacks.

17 January 2013: District court in Northern District of Illinois sentenced Rana to prison for 14 years.

28 August 2018: Special NIA court (hearing 26/11 attacks case) issued warrant for Rana’s arrest.

9 June 2020: District court in US granted Rana’s release on “compassionate grounds.”

10 June 2020: Under India-US extradition treaty, the US government seeks arrest warrant for Rana.

21 July 2020: A US court approved the request for detention pending extradition.

13 August 2020: India filed additional documents. It focused on offences allegedly committed by Rana.

16 May 2023: California Magistrate Court Approved Rana’s Extradition to India.

10 August 2023: District Court in US denied Rana’s petition, that challenged order of extradition.

18 August 2023: District Court stays proceedings due to Rana’s pending appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

15 August 2024: US Court of Appeals upheld District Court’s order of extradition.

13 November 2024: Rana files petition with the US Supreme Court, requesting a stay on his extradition.

16 December 2024: US government opposed Rana’s plea.

21 January 2025: US Supreme Court dismissed Rana’s petition.

28 February 2025: Rana moves another plea seeking stay on US Supreme Court’s previous order dismissing his petition.

11 February 2025: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed Rana’s surrender to India.

2 March 2025: Rana filed supplementary application in the US Supreme Court, citing observations made from the extradition hearing of fugitive Sanjay Bhandari.

7 March 2025: Rana refiled his emergency application for stay and requested it to be directed to Chief Justice John Roberts.

7 April 2025: US Supreme Court dismissed Rana’s emergency application.

9 April 2025: NIA officials, along with Rana, board a US special flight.
10 April 2025: Rana is extradited to India, flight lands at Palam Air force station.