In a significant breakthrough in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks investigation, Tahawwur Hussain Rana has reportedly admitted to being present in Mumbai during the 2008 carnage and confirmed his deep involvement in the plot. According to sources, Rana told the Mumbai Crime Branch during questioning in NIA custody that he was a trusted agent of the Pakistani Army and that his presence in the city was part of the terrorists’ overall plan.
Rana, currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, was extradited to India from the United States earlier this year. During his interrogation, he revealed that both he and David Coleman Headley — another key conspirator — underwent multiple training sessions with Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan. He also described LeT as functioning like a spy network, according to sources.
He reportedly admitted that the idea to open an immigration office in Mumbai under his company was his own, and financial dealings were masked as business expenses. Rana said he conducted recces of potential targets including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and believed the attacks were carried out in coordination with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Sources also stated that Rana claimed he had previously been sent by the Pakistani military to Saudi Arabia during the Khaleej War, highlighting the long-standing trust the army placed in him.
Following these disclosures, Mumbai Police are preparing to take custody of Rana and proceed with his formal arrest. He faces multiple charges including conspiracy, murder, terrorism, and forgery. His judicial custody was extended last month until July 9.
Rana’s statements may provide crucial evidence in linking state-sponsored elements from Pakistan to the 26/11 attacks, which left 166 people dead during a 60-hour siege on iconic Mumbai landmarks including the Taj and Oberoi hotels, CST station, and Nariman House.
