Tahawwur Rana set up Mumbai corporate front to aid Headley's reconnaissance: NIA

Hindustan Times

23-07-2025

In a major development in the probe in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a supplementary chargesheet detailing the role of Pakistani-origin Canadian national Tahawwur Hussain Rana in aiding the deadly assault that left over 170 people dead. The agency said, "Rana was instrumental in facilitating the reconnaissance operations carried out by David Coleman Headley(AFP)
According to the chargesheet, Rana played a crucial role in supporting terrorist David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American operative linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, by facilitating his reconnaissance missions across Mumbai.
The agency said, "Rana was instrumental in facilitating the reconnaissance operations carried out by David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American terrorist linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba."
According to the chargesheet, Rana played a critical role in laying the groundwork for the deadly strikes by establishing a corporate front in Mumbai.
The NIA claims that Rana set up the Immigrant Law Centre in Mumbai--an office that posed as a legitimate business but lacked any real commercial activity.
Despite the absence of genuine operations or revenue, the office remained operational for over two years, serving solely to support Headley's covert activities. This front allegedly enabled Headley to conduct detailed surveillance of multiple high-profile targets across Mumbai in preparation for the attacks, which killed more than 170 people and shocked the nation.
Further investigations suggested that Rana was part of a broader criminal conspiracy that began around 2005, involving co-conspirators based in Pakistan. The stated objective of the conspiracy was to wage war against the Government of India by orchestrating large-scale terror incidents designed to destabilize the country's sovereignty, integrity, and internal security.
The NIA alleged that Rana's actions were aimed at striking terror among the Indian population and undermining national interests. As a result, multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act have been pressed against him.
After years of legal wrangling, Rana was extradited from the United States to India in early 2025. The US Supreme Court had denied his petition in January, clearing the path for his extradition.
On April 10, 2025, he was taken into Indian custody under a Non-Bailable Warrant issued by the Special NIA Court in Delhi. His arrest is considered a major breakthrough in the investigation, which continues to uncover new dimensions of the terror conspiracy.
According to the NIA, Rana has made several key disclosures during custodial interrogation, leading to fresh investigative leads. To further validate these statements, mutual legal assistance requests have been sent to the United States seeking corroborative evidence and intelligence.
The officials close to the investigation believe that the information obtained through these international channels will be crucial in untangling the wider network of conspirators and gathering actionable proof.
Rana faced an array of grave charges, including conspiracy to wage war against India, murder, and multiple counts related to terrorism and forgery. The offences include violations of IPC Sections 120B, 121, 302, 468, and 471, as well as Sections 16 and 18 of the UAPA. His extradition followed approval by U.S. authorities and marks a significant milestone in Indo-U.S. counterterrorism cooperation.
The NIA has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, with further charges and supplementary materials expected to be submitted depending on the results of international information exchange and continued interrogation.