Months after questioning Tahawwur Rana, extradited from the United States nearly 16 years after his arrest for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has approached the US government through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) for additional details linked to the case.
A senior NIA officer said investigators had uncovered new evidence following the interrogation of Rana. “After questioning Rana, we have found fresh evidence and approached the US through the Ministry of External Affairs. A set of questions has been sent via MLAT,” the officer said.
The officer, however, did not clarify the questions or the deadline.
According to sources, the Central agency suspects that Rana may have been involved in other terror-related conspiracies beyond the Mumbai attacks, possibly in similar plots across India.
Rana, currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody, was questioned extensively after his extradition. A long-time associate of 26/11 accused and Lashkar-e-Toiba scout David Coleman Headley, Tahawwur Rana was extradited to India on April 10 this year.
Before being sent to Tihar, NIA collected his voice and handwriting samples before a special court.
Investigators allege that Rana, who attended the same school as Headley in Pakistan, aided the reconnaissance missions carried out by him ahead of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and provided crucial logistical support to the terrorists involved.
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Rana was first arrested in Chicago in 2009, months after the 26/11 attacks that killed 166 people, including foreign nationals. His transfer to India earlier this year came after prolonged legal proceedings in US courts that cleared the way for extradition under the India-US treaty framework.
