Tahawwur Rana, one of the prime accused in facilitating the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has made a special request before a Delhi court — urging that no lawyer should represent him if their motivation is merely to gain publicity or fame.
Rana, a former Pakistan Army doctor-turned-businessman, was extradited to India from the United States on Thursday, nearly 16 years after the deadly attacks that shook Mumbai.
Following his arrival, he was formally arrested at around 10 p.m. and subsequently produced before the NIA Special Court at Patiala House, where the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sought 20 days of custody. The court ultimately granted 18 days.
In his detailed order, Additional Sessions Judge (NIA) Chander Jit Singh noted Rana’s concern, writing: “The accused has submitted that there should not be any counsel who may appear to earn name and fame through him.”
The judge further acknowledged the presence of Legal Service Counsels under the provisions of the Legal Services Authority Act, 1987, but agreed to respect Rana’s wishes.
The court also issued a directive barring legal service-appointed lawyers from speaking to the media — print, digital, or electronic — about the case.
Additionally, it ordered that the names of these counsels should not be disclosed to the media if they have not already been made public.
Rana also sought permission to use writing materials to communicate with his legal team. Allowing the request, the judge ordered that he be provided with soft-tip writing instruments, like sketch pens, along with paper to draft instructions for his lawyers.
The court proceedings on April 10 concluded around 11:50 p.m., and the order was finalized and signed in the early hours of April 11, around 2 a.m.
Currently, the 64-year-old is being held in a high-security cell located at the NIA’s headquarters in the CGO Complex, New Delhi. The facility is equipped with central air-conditioning and was previously used to house notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
Rana’s cell is under constant surveillance, guarded around the clock by personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and two NIA officials.
Sources said the security around the NIA premises has been significantly intensified following Rana’s arrival, and he has been provided with all essential amenities, including regular meals from the agency’s canteen.
Rana’s arrest marks a critical development in the long-running investigation into the 26/11 terror attacks. His links to the plot date back to his close friendship with David Coleman Headley (born Daood Gilani), a Pakistani-American operative of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, India has alleged that Rana played a vital role in helping Headley conduct reconnaissance of potential targets in Mumbai.
The DOJ statement outlines that Rana used his immigration business as a front, agreeing to establish a Mumbai office and naming Headley as its manager — despite Headley lacking any formal experience in the field.
Rana also allegedly assisted Headley in submitting false information on visa applications to Indian authorities and even provided official documentation through an unsuspecting business partner to help Headley secure Indian government approval for the new branch office.
Rana had been arrested in Chicago in October 2009, just 11 months after the Mumbai attacks, and his extradition had been long sought by Indian authorities.
His return to face trial is expected to shed more light on the international network that enabled one of the deadliest terror attacks in India’s history.