NIA takes Tahawwur Rana into 18-day custody

The National Investigation Agency NIA on Friday took Tahawwur Hussain Rana into 18day custody during which he will be questioned in detail to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the deadly 2611 Mumbai terror attacksThe antiterror agency had produced Rana before the NIA Special Court at Patiala House after formally placing him under arrest on his arrival at Indira Gandhi International IGI airport here on Thursday evening following his successful extradition from the USThe court on Friday sent Rana to 18day NIA custody following which he was brought from the Patiala House courts complex to the NIA headquarters in a heavily secured motorcade comprising Delhi Polices Special Weapons and Tactics SWAT and other security personnelRana will be kept in a highly secured cell inside the antiterror agencys head office at the CGO complex in Delhi officials saidRana will remain in NIA custody for 18 days during which time the agency will question him in detail in order to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the deadly 2008 attacks in which a total of 166 persons were killed and over 238 injured said a statement issued by the probe agency soon after the courts orderIn a day of fastpaced developments linked with the extradition of Rana the NIA took his custody on the orders of the special court in New Delhi it saidNIA had secured Ranas extradition from the US following years of sustained efforts and after the terror masterminds lastditch efforts to get a stay on his extradition from the US failedRana was brought to New Delhi Thursday evening escorted by teams of NSG and NIA comprising senior officials on a special plane from Los AngelesThe extradition finally came through after Ranas various litigations and appeals including an emergency application before the US Supreme Court were rejectedWith the coordinated efforts of Indias Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs along with the relevant authorities in the United States the surrender warrant for the wanted terrorist was eventually secured and the extradition was carried out the statement saidThe National Investigation Agency NIA said on Thursday that it has successfully secured the extradition of Rana the mastermind of the deadly 2611 Mumbai terror attacks after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice reported ANIAccording to the NIA Rana was being held in judicial custody in the US pursuant to proceedings initiated under the IndiaUS Extradition Treaty for his extradition The extradition finally came through after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to stay on the moveRana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley Daood Gilani and operatives of designated terrorist organisations LashkareTaiba LeT and HarkatulJihadi Islami HUJI along with other Pakistanbased coconspirators to carry out the devastating terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008 A total of 166 persons were killed and over 238 injured in the deadly attacks Both LeT and HUJI have been declared as terrorist organisations by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967 the NIA saidWith inputs from ANIatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params