Tahawwur Rana to be interrogated by high-level NIA team amid tight security

New Delhi: A high-level interrogation team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will question Tahawwur Rana, the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, soon after his arrival in India, sources said on Thursday.

The team will comprise two Inspector Generals (IG), one Deputy Inspector General (DIG), and one Superintendent of Police (SP). The sources said that Intelligence Agency officials would also question him.

In view of the sensitivity surrounding the case, Delhi Police’s elite SWAT unit has been deployed to ensure the secure movement of National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials.

Additionally, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has been placed on high alert, while SWAT commandos have been stationed at the airport to manage security.

As part of the elaborate security arrangements, the responsibility of maintaining the outer security cordon has been entrusted to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and local police teams.

Sources confirmed that all necessary steps have been taken to ensure safe transit and custody of the high-profile terror suspect. Security has also been increased at the NIA headquarters in the national capital.

The 64-year-old Pakistan-born Canadian national is being extradited from the US after a prolonged legal battle. A special chartered flight carrying him departed from the US on April 9 and is expected to land in Delhi any time. Upon his arrival, Rana will be formally arrested by the NIA and is likely to be produced in a Delhi court shortly after.

According to sources, Rana is expected to be lodged in a high-security ward in Tihar Jail. Authorities have already made extensive preparations to hold him securely within the prison complex.

Rana, a close associate of David Coleman Headley alias Dawood Gilani — the main conspirator in the 2008 Mumbai attacks — has been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal conspiracy, waging war against the Government of India, murder, and forgery, along with charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Despite the progress, Mumbai Police are yet to receive formal notification regarding his transfer to the city for trial proceedings. Rana is also suspected of having close ties with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the banned terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was responsible for orchestrating the attacks that claimed 166 lives.

The joint operation to extradite Rana has been coordinated between the NIA and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), marking a critical moment in India’s ongoing efforts to bring the masterminds of the 26/11 attacks to justice.

IANS