In a move that may pave the way for the trial of 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana in Delhi, the Patiala House Court has recalled its trial court records related to the Mumbai terror attacks.

The trial court records had been sent to Mumbai earlier because of multiple cases related to the attacks being heard in both cities. The Delhi court’s order was prompted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) moving an application seeking to retrieve the records from Mumbai. 

Rana’s extradition was announced by US President Donald Trump during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country earlier this month. 

During a joint press conference with PM Modi, Mr Trump had said, “Today, I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and one of the very evil people of the world (Tahawwur Rana), having to do with the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. He is going back to India to face justice… We are giving a very violent man, it seems to me.”

The US Supreme Court had rejected Rana’s review petition challenging his extradition to India and, soon after Mr Trump’s announcement, NDTV had reported that the terrorist had filed a final appeal on humanitarian grounds which could push back his arrival in the country by a few weeks.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, had earlier worked as a doctor for the Pakistan army and a federal jury in the United States had convicted him in 2011 of providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the terrorist organisation behind the 2008 attacks. 

Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks, had revealed that he had travelled to India five times between 2007 and 2008 and conducted a recce of possible targets in Mumbai for the attacks. Testifying against Rana, Headley had said he had visited India using a five-year visa that his co-conspirator had helped him obtain. Headley had also disclosed that Rana had aided him in setting up an immigration company to hide his identity.

In 2011, Rana was acquitted by a US court on charges of abetting the Mumbai terror attacks but was convicted of providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba and helping a terror plot in Denmark.

Several places in Mumbai, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel, were attacked on November 26, 2008, and 166 people were killed, including 20 personnel from the police and the security forces, and 26 foreigners.