NIA grills Tahawwur to know how LeT operates

Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and currently in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), is being interrogated to unearth operational details of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), official sources have revealed.

Investigators are learnt to be focusing their interrogation on two primary aspects: Rana’s deep-rooted links with the LeT and his connection to Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. The sources said the NIA was working to map out the structural and strategic components of the LeT’s international operations.

Rana’s interrogation comes against the backdrop of the April 22 Pahalgam massacre in which 26 civilians were gunned down by terrorists affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar offshoot. Intelligence agencies believe the TRF has emerged as a proxy outfit to mask the LeT’s direct involvement in attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

Nod for voice, writing samples

The NIA has secured court approval to collect Rana’s voice and handwriting samples to form a watertight case against him. Investigators are now working to match these samples with the intercepted communications and documents believed to be linked to the extradited terrorist.

Advertisement

On Monday, a special NIA court had extended Rana’s custody by 12 more days. During the in-camera proceedings, the NIA informed the judge that Rana could potentially provide critical insights into the LeT’s future attack plans and broader terror infrastructure.

The NIA, as per the sources, said Hafiz Saeed, an accused in the Mumbai case, continued to lead the terror outfit responsible for the attacks in India. Therefore, Rana’s interrogation was necessary to uncover key operational aspects of the group, the agency said.

Rana once wanted Pakistan to give its highest honour Nishan-e-Haider to the nine Lashkar terrorists neutralised during the Mumbai attacks. He was even heard saying "India deserved it" in an intercepted conversation with main plotter David Headley.