NIA releases first visuals of Tahawwur Rana, 26/11 plotter taken to special court

Tahawwur Rana

An hour after Mumbai terror attack case accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana  touched down in Delhi's Palam airport, the National Investigation agency released the first visuals of the plotter of a dastardly attack  that claimed 166 lives during a coordinated three-day assault on Mumbai.

After the completion of formalities, that lasted for more than three hours post his disembarkment, Rana has been brought to a special  NIA court.

The Centre has appointed advocate Narender Mann as special public prosecutor for conducting trial and other matters related to the case for three years. In a statement post Rana's touch down , the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the extradition happened after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the alleged key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice.

Rana departed from the US on a special flight on Wednesday, after his last-ditch attempt to evade extradition failed. The 64-year-old was brought back by a team of the National Investigation Agency and the Research and Analysis Wing. Security has been stepped up outside Delhi's Patiala House Court where Rana will be produced soon, an official said.

Rana’s extradition is the culmination of a lengthy legal and diplomatic struggle that saw Indian authorities pressing the United States under the 1997 India-US Extradition Treaty. After years of litigation, the US Supreme Court dealt the final blow to Rana’s attempts to evade deportation by rejecting his plea for a stay.