‘Tahawwur Rana visited Kochi too’: Former NIA cop who interrogated 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind David Coleman Headley reveals
New Delhi: Security personnel stand guard outside the National Investigation Agency (NIA) headquarters, in New Delhi, Thursday, April 10, 2025. Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, was brought to India on Thursday after being "successfully extradited" from the US, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary) (PTI04_10_2025_000368B)
There is evidence of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks conspirator Tahawwur Rana visiting Kochi as well. However, his motive is yet to be ascertained, said Loknath Behera, former National Investigation Agency officer who interrogated terror strike mastermind David Coleman Headley in the United States as part of the probe over a decade ago.
Behera said the extradition of Rana from the US was a significant step in the probe and sleuths will be able to uncover conspiracy beyond the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The former Kerala police chief said, “I am personally very happy that Rana has finally been extradited, even after 14 years of being charge-sheeted by the NIA. He was charge-sheeted in absentia in 2011 in Delhi," PTI reported.
The former NIA officer said they had evidence of Rana visiting Kochi. “We don't know what his intentions were, and now we can find that out," Behera said. The retired police officer who had interrogated Headley said Rana was “very close” to the former and investigation could reveal the larger conspiracy behind the attacks, the role of funders and other unknown actors behind the attacks.
“Rana's role, as we understand during the investigation, was that he was a facilitator for Headley. But, we also suspected that he might have played a bigger role in this entire attack, maybe he knew more people who were behind this attack and who have actually not been detected so far. He might also be actually able to say who were the handlers. This is very important and this could not be found out during the investigation because we could not get access to Rana to examine him and know things. So, this extradition will come handy,” Behera told ANI.
NIA formally arrested Rana on Thursday, after he landed in India in a special military aircraft. The NIA special court in Delhi’s Patiala House granted the agency 18 days of custody of Rana. He is currently lodged in a cell at the NIA’s headquarters in Delhi.
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