Following the Mumbai police crime branch’s filing of a chargesheet against Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman linked to the 26/11 terror attack, revelations emerged that he had discussed “crowded places in south Mumbai” with a witness, appearing to possess knowledge of these locations. This marked Rana’s sole visit to India.
Rana’s entry into Mumbai from Dubai on November 11, 2008, preceded visits to other parts of the country. However, on November 21, five days prior to the attacks, he returned to Mumbai and booked a 24-hour stay in a Powai-based five-star hotel before departing for Dubai and later China, ultimately reaching Chicago.
The police investigation is exploring possible connections between Rana’s movements and the locations targeted during the 26/11 terror attacks in south Mumbai, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Taj Mahal, and Trident hotels. The authorities suspect Rana may have been conducting a “final recce” of these sites before the boat Al-Hussaini set sail from Pakistan with the terrorists.
Mumbai crime branch officials noted that the 26/11 attacks, which occurred in November, were originally planned for August 2008, but adverse sea conditions delayed them. Rana’s visit in November raised suspicion, given that he left the city five days before the attacks.
“His discussions about crowded places in south Mumbai, which appear in a witness statement, and certain incriminating emails exchanged with David Headley, one of the conspirators of the attacks, were attached to the chargesheet. These details emphasize Rana’s connection to the case,” stated an officer from the Mumbai crime branch.
The chargesheet, spanning 405 pages and filed on Monday, lists Rana under the special Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Indian Penal Code, Explosive Act, among other charges. It marks the fourth chargesheet in the 26/11 attacks case, which later came under the investigation of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Presently, Rana is detained in the United States. In May, a US court cleared the way for his extradition to India. However, Rana appealed against the order, and a stay was granted until his appeal is heard.
David Headley, a US citizen with American and Pakistani heritage, was arrested by US authorities in October 2009 and sentenced to 35 years in prison for his involvement in the Mumbai attacks. Investigation findings revealed that Rana’s consultancy firm, First World Immigration Services, served as a cover for Headley to identify and surveil potential terror targets.