Tahawwur Rana likely to be confronted with 'protected witness' by NIA during interrogation

Tahawwur Rana is currently under NIA custody.

Tahawwur Rana, the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused, is likely to be confronted with a "protected witness" who arranged logistics for David Headley in Mumbai, by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) during the interrogation.

NIA began questioning Rana after he was sent to 18-day custody following his extradition from the US on a special flight on April 10.

Rana had asked one of his staff members — called 'employee B’ (NIA's witness) — to help David Coleman Headley, the main planner of the attacks, with planning and other support, NIA sources said on Sunday, News18 reported.

Also Read: 'Protected witness' key to unlocking Tahawwur Rana’s role in 26/11 plot: Report

As per the sources, the 'employee B', did not have information about the terror plans and was only told handle things like picking up Headley, arranging travel, stay, and providing a place to work and live — following Rana’s instructions.

This person, now NIA's "protected witness", allegedly received Headley in Mumbai and arranged logistics for his reconnaissance mission in 2006.

This witness is expected to help establish Rana’s role in facilitating Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) planning for the deadly attacks that left 166 people dead and over 230 injured.

Rana used his immigration business to help Headley with visas, hide his Pakistani-Muslim identity, and blend into Indian business and military circles, NIA sources said. He also booked Headley’s flight from Karachi and helped create documents for his Moroccan wife.

As per a Hindustan Times report, the identity of the witness has been kept confidential even in court documents, given the threat posed by Pakistan’s state actors and terror groups like LeT. Investigators cited in the report have noted that confronting Rana with the witness could be key to unearthing how he enabled Headley’s surveillance activities in Mumbai ahead of the coordinated assault.

This marks the first time that Rana is being interrogated by Indian authorities. In 2010, an NIA team had questioned Headley in the US, but Rana had remained out of reach until his extradition was secured after years of legal proceedings.

The NIA chargesheet also says Rana was in touch with another conspirator, ‘Major Iqbal’, News18 reported. Rana faces several charges in India, including conspiracy, forgery, murder, and terrorism.