The Central Government has named advocate Narender Mann as the special public prosecutor to conduct the high-profile trial in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case involving prime accused Tahawwur Rana. Rana is being extradited from the US to India.
Mann, the former special public prosecutor in numerous high-profile cases on behalf of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), will prosecute for the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The appointment is to be made for three years through a gazette notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack Conspiracy case | The Central Government appoints Narender Mann, Advocate, as Special Public Prosecutor for conducting trials and other matters related to NIA case RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI (against Tahawwur Hussain Rana and David Coleman Headley) on behalf of… pic.twitter.com/MOPNTIPrRj
— ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2025
“The Central Government appoints Narender Mann, advocate as special public prosecutor, for the trial and other purposes in respect of the case of the NIA investigation (RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI) on behalf of the National Investigation Agency before NIA special courts in Delhi and appellate courts, for 3 years from the date of issuance of this notification or until the conclusion of the trial of the said case, whichever is earlier,” the notification added.
Rana to be Arrested by NIA Upon Arrival in Delhi
Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian and a retired Pakistani army officer, is alleged to have facilitated the 26/11 attacks by offering logistical and financial assistance to David Coleman Headley. Headley had scouted different targets in Mumbai before the fatal attack.
After a long legal battle in the US, the Supreme Court recently rejected Rana’s request to suspend his extradition, removing the last hurdle for his deportation to Indian authorities.
Once his flight reaches Delhi, the NIA will arrest him formally. Officials will present him virtually before a court and then put him in judicial custody. He will be detained in a high-security ward in Tihar Jail.
Terror That Shook the Nation
The 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks lasted 60 hours and killed 166 people at several city landmarks. Although nine of the ten Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were killed during the siege, one—Ajmal Kasab—was captured alive and executed in 2012.
