26/11 Suspect Tahawwur Rana About to Land in India, Set for Tihar Jail Confinement

Tahawwur Rana, a prime suspect in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is on the verge of landing in India after being extradited from the United States. The Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman, wanted for his alleged role in the deadly 26/11 assault, left the U.S. on a special flight Wednesday evening, escorted by intelligence and investigative officials. The aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Delhi on Thursday afternoon, bringing a significant chapter in India’s quest for justice closer to resolution.

Upon touchdown, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will take Rana into custody, formally arresting him in connection with the attacks that killed 166 people, including six Americans. According to the sources, he is slated to be jailed in Tihar Jail, where authorities have completed arrangements for his detention. Security measures around the facility have been heightened ahead of his arrival, underscoring the case’s sensitivity.

Rana’s extradition caps a lengthy legal struggle in the U.S., finalized earlier this year when President Donald Trump declared that Rana would be handed over to India to “face justice.” India’s 2020 extradition request accused him of forgery and criminal breach of trust, alleging he leveraged his U.S. immigration business to forge documents for David Headley, the Pakistani-American who scouted targets for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operation, backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Rana visited Mumbai from November 11 to 21, 2008, staying at the Hotel Renaissance in Powai to evaluate logistics just before the attacks unfolded. The meticulously planned strikes, carried out by 10 Pakistani terrorists over 60 hours, targeted key sites across Mumbai, leaving lasting trauma in their wake.

Once on Indian soil, Rana will face proceedings in a special NIA court, a move sources say reflects India’s determination to prosecute those tied to the 26/11 bloodshed. The flight departed around 7:10 p.m. India time on Wednesday, with officials keeping further details under wraps beyond the imminent Thursday landing. As Rana prepares to land and be jailed in Tihar, attention turns to the legal process ahead, which may unravel more details about the planning behind one of India’s most infamous terror attacks.