In a significant development in the prosecution of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, the Central Government has constituted a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) team headed by Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta.

This move follows the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Canadian-American national of Pakistani origin, who is now facing trial in India for his alleged involvement in the attacks.

Rana was extradited from the United States under the India–U.S. Extradition Treaty and is currently in judicial custody until June 6. He faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and the Indian Penal Code, 1860, for his purported role in the conspiracy and facilitation of terrorist activities on Indian soil.

The newly appointed prosecutorial team also includes Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, and Senior Advocates Dayan Krishnan and Narender Mann. They will represent the National Investigation Agency (NIA) before the Special NIA Court in Delhi, and, as required, before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India.

Born in Pakistan in 1961, Rana is a former doctor in the Pakistani Army. He later migrated to Canada in the 1990s and obtained citizenship in the early 2000s. Indian investigative agencies allege that he maintained close ties with David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American national who conducted reconnaissance for the 26/11 attacks. Headley, currently imprisoned in the United States, testified that Rana provided financial and logistical support for the operation.

The NIA has also accused Rana of having active links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Pakistani Army, and the proscribed terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which orchestrated the coordinated attacks in Mumbai that left over 170 people dead.

Rana’s extradition and upcoming trial represent a pivotal moment in India’s efforts to secure justice for the victims of the 26/11 attacks. The case also underscores the role of international cooperation in bolstering global counter-terrorism efforts.