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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to collect the voice sample of Pakistani-Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, recently extradited from the United States, in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people.
Rana, currently in NIA custody, is facing trial for allegedly helping coordinate the 2008 attacks and providing cover to Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley. The voice sample, investigators say, will help match his voice to intercepted call recordings linked to the 26/11 attacks, potentially strengthening the case against him.
According to sources, Rana’s consent is required for the voice sample collection. If he refuses, the NIA plans to seek court permission. A refusal to provide the sample could be cited in the chargesheet and may weigh against him during the trial phase.
Once permission is granted, experts from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) will visit the NIA headquarters to collect the voice sample in a noise-free environment.
Rana’s arrival in Delhi
Rana arrived in New Delhi on Thursday following his extradition from the US after a prolonged legal battle. He is being held and interrogated at the secure NIA facility in the CGO Complex. During questioning, officials are probing his alleged meeting with a man in Dubai just before the Mumbai attacks and his connection to an immigration agency office in Mumbai reportedly used by Headley to conduct surveillance of key locations like luxury hotels and public landmarks.
The agency is also examining Rana’s possible links with Pakistani nationals Ilyas Kashmiri, Abdur Rehman, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and Sajid Majeed Mir, all believed to be involved in the planning and execution of the 26/11 attacks.
On the first day of his interrogation, NIA sources said Rana was largely uncooperative, offering limited details and frequently claiming a lack of memory regarding crucial events. However, he did confirm being present in Mumbai at least a week before the attack.
A former member of the Pakistan Army Medical Corps, Rana later moved to Canada and opened an immigration and travel agency in Chicago with his wife. His associate, David Headley, was previously convicted in the US for his role in the 26/11 attacks and was interrogated by an NIA team back in 2010.
Rana’s 18-day custodial interrogation is expected to reveal more about his role and that of others involved in the deadly terror attack that shook India and the world.
