Tahawwur Rana Faces NIA Interrogation in 26/11 Case, Key Witness to Play Crucial Role:

An important “protected witness” who allegedly hosted David Coleman Headley in Mumbai in 2006 and facilitated the logistics of his surveillance mission may be crucial in the interrogation of Tahawwur Rana. Rana is a principal accused in the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people and wounded over 230 in 2008.

As per a report in Hindustan Times, this confidential witness has connections to both Headley and Rana and could assist Indian investigators in figuring out how Rana facilitated activities for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) pertaining to the assault.

NIA Gets 18-Day Custody of Rana Following His Extradition from the U.S.

Rana was brought to New Delhi on a Thursday following his extradition from the United States, and was relocated to the NIA headquarters in the early hours of Friday. After a short rest, his interrogation commenced, which marks the first instance Indian authorities have interrogated him.

A Delhi court had given the National Investigation Agency (NIA) 18 days of custodial interrogation. For years, such an arrangement had been impossible for the authorities, as Rana had remained out of reach for years, even when NIA officials interviewed Headley during his 2010 U.S. trip.

Rana's Connection to Headley’s Recce in Mumbai

According to reports, David Headley was instructed by LeT operatives to conduct surveillance in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, in 2006. The Believers Forum is confident that Rana facilitated Headley’s movement during his travels to India.

The identity of the key witness is still under wraps, even in the court documents, because of the danger posed to them by terror groups and state-sponsored actors from Pakistan.

Other Evidence and New Directions in the Inquiry

Along with the witness’s inputs, the NIA is depending on phone conversations recorded by the FBI in 2009 between Headley and Rana which could be very incriminating. In addition, they plan to interview several former staff members of Rana’s Immigration Law Centre in Mumbai which was purportedly a front for Headley’s visits.

Moving Forward in an Old Investigation

Rana’s detention has triggered a renewed hope in Indian authorities to unlock details of the transnational conspiracy of the infamous 26/11 attacks. The investigation continues to dig into the extent of his involvement in enabling Headley’s operations and constructs towards a LeT framework.