With Tahawwur Rana—accused of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks—finally back on Indian soil after a prolonged legal battle in the United States, attention now turns to the legal team that will lead the prosecution against him. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has roped in two seasoned legal experts: Dayan Krishnan and Narender Mann.
But who exactly are these men trusted with one of India’s most sensitive and high-profile terror cases? Here’s a breakdown.
Dayan Krishnan: India’s Go-To Man for Extradition and High-Stakes Trials
Dayan Krishnan is no stranger to cases that shape legal precedent. A 1993 graduate from the prestigious National Law School of India University, he began independent practice in 1999. That same year, he contributed to the Justice JS Verma Commission and would go on to handle some of India’s most critical cases, including the Parliament attack trial, the Cauvery water dispute, and the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape case.
Krishnan was designated as a senior advocate by the Delhi High Court in 2014. His expertise in extradition law has made him the legal spearhead for India in cases involving global fugitive trials. Notably, he played a key role in the extradition of David Coleman Headley and was part of the team that questioned Headley in the US.
A senior source told PTI that Krishnan “was instrumental in securing Rana’s extradition,” calling it a “spirited legal fight” against veteran UK lawyer Paul Garlick QC. Garlick argued on grounds of double jeopardy, but Krishnan rebutted that the accused’s conduct wasn’t the determinant—“the elements of the crime were.” The court agreed with Krishnan’s interpretation.
Narender Mann: The Veteran Prosecutor With CBI Credentials
Narender Mann, 58, is another heavyweight in India’s legal landscape. A 1990 graduate of Delhi University’s Campus Law Centre, Mann served as special public prosecutor for the CBI in the Delhi High Court from 2011 to 2019. His resume reads like a dossier of India’s legal history—from the Bofors scandal and Jain Diary case to the Commonwealth Games scam.
In the Tahawwur Rana case, Mann has been designated special public prosecutor for a three-year term, indicating the long-term strategic importance of the prosecution. He also represented the CBI in the case involving the attempted assassination of Chief Justice AN Ray, a conviction later upheld by the Delhi High Court.
The Legal Firepower Behind NIA
In addition to Krishnan and Mann, the prosecution team will include advocates Sanjeevi Sheshadri and Sridhar Kale, working alongside the NIA’s legal team. With the magnitude of the case, the NIA appears to have assembled a legal A-team capable of handling both domestic and international scrutiny.
