New Delhi/Washington: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with key national security and foreign policy officials amid reports of the imminent extradition of 26/11 Mumbai terror accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana from the United States.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval attended the meeting, along with Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. While the agenda was not officially disclosed, the discussions are believed to have centred around Rana's extradition and its legal and security implications.

The meeting came hours after it emerged that Rana is no longer in the custody of the US Bureau of Prisons. A search for Rana on the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ website shows: “Not in BOP Custody as of: 04/08/2025.”

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However, it has not yet been officially confirmed whether he has boarded a flight to India.

A multi-agency Indian team is already in the United States to coordinate with American officials on the handover process and is finalising legal and logistical formalities. Rana is expected to be brought to Delhi, where he will initially be taken into the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further legal proceedings.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is wanted in India for aiding Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley in conducting reconnaissance of targets for the Lashkar-e-Taiba during the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people, including six Americans.

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Although a US jury acquitted Rana of direct charges related to the Mumbai attacks, he was convicted in a separate case for plotting to attack a Danish newspaper and for providing material support to LeT. He was sentenced to over 10 years in prison.

After being released early due to poor health in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rana was re-arrested for extradition following India's formal request. His final legal attempt to stop the extradition was rejected earlier this week when the US Supreme Court denied his application.

His counsel had argued that extradition would violate US law and the UN Convention Against Torture, citing a recent UK case where a man convicted of money laundering was not extradited to India due to fears of torture. Rana’s legal team claimed he faced a greater risk due to his background, association with the Mumbai attacks, and Muslim identity.

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Justice Elena Kagan initially dismissed the plea in March, and Chief Justice John Roberts later denied a further appeal, with the justices’ final verdict being posted on Monday.

Rana’s extradition had first been announced by then-President Donald Trump during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the White House in February 2020. However, the legal battle delayed the process by over four years.

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