Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday expressed optimism that the recent arrest of Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, could help uncover the true mastermind behind the devastating incident.
Speaking to reporters, Pawar said,
“During the 26/11 attacks, we all were in Mumbai — it was a very serious incident. Now that this person (Rana) has been caught, he can reveal who the real mastermind was and who directed him to commit such an act.”
He emphasized that Rana’s interrogation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) could finally shed light on the individuals and organizations involved in orchestrating the attacks that killed 166 people and injured over 238.
Rana, extradited from the United States, is now in NIA custody for 18 days, where he is being interrogated in detail about the conspiracy. The NIA claims he conspired with David Coleman Headley and operatives of terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) to execute the Mumbai attacks.
The NIA presented emails and communications as evidence during his appearance before a Special NIA Court, stressing that custodial interrogation is crucial to fully unearth the terror network.
The NIA stated:
“As part of the criminal conspiracy, accused No. 1 David Coleman Headley had discussed the operation with Tahawwur Rana before his visit to India. Headley informed Rana about the involvement of Ilyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman.”
Rana’s extradition came after he exhausted all legal options in the US courts under the India-US Extradition Treaty. He was held in judicial custody there before being flown to India.
In parallel, Pawar also commented on rising fuel prices, blaming them on US tariffs on several countries. He assured that the issue would be taken up with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is currently visiting Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, Rana’s legal team has requested that the NIA follow court-mandated health checkups throughout the custodial period. The court has issued directions for comprehensive medical assessments to be ensured.