NIA team to visit US to question Tahawur Rana

A team of National Investigation Agency is likely to visit the United States soon to question 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawur Hussain Rana for helping Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative David Headley to disguise as immigrant consultant during his visits to India.

Official sources said the home ministry will send a team of NIA to the United States to question Rana, his wife and his other acquaintances to be able to gather sufficient evidence to file a chargesheet against him in India for providing cover to Headley to do the recce of the 26/11 terror targets in Mumbai during his visits to India between 2006-09.

Pakistani-Canadian Rana was acquitted of the 26/11 attack charges in a US court a few months ago but that did not deter NIA to file a charge-sheet against him India. NIA is planning to question Rana on the first world immigration services office opened by him in Mumbai which officials believe had helped Headley obtain a visa to visit India in 2006.

Rana's role in facilitating Headley's easy movement in India as an immigration consultant, possible linkages with sleeper terror cells and other relevant issues are expected to be asked by the NIA team. The NIA team is also likely to record Rana's statement in front of a magistrate so that it can be made admissible as evidence in the court in India.