Security tightened at Patiala House as 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana likely to be produced

Tight security at Patiala House Court as 26/11 co-accused Tahawwur Rana set to arrive in India today. (PIC/PTI)

Security arrangements have been significantly heightened at Delhi's Patiala House Court in anticipation of the appearance of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, one of the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, who is expected to be produced before court on Thursday following his extradition from the United States, according to PTI.

As per PTI, officials have confirmed that a strong contingent of paramilitary forces and Delhi Police personnel have been deployed outside the court premises. Every visitor is being subjected to detailed physical frisking and security checks to prevent any untoward incidents, PTI reports.

An NIA (National Investigation Agency) judge is slated to hear the matter once Rana is brought to the court. Meanwhile, authorities at Tihar Jail have confirmed that all arrangements have been finalised to lodge Rana in a high-security ward, with officials awaiting further court directions before proceeding with his formal admission into the prison.

Rana, 64, is a Pakistan-born Canadian national with long-standing ties to David Coleman Headley (also known as Daood Gilani), one of the principal conspirators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Headley, a US citizen, is currently serving a sentence in an American prison after entering into a plea bargain. According to PTI, both Rana and Headley were co-accused in NIA case RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI.

The central government has appointed Advocate Narender Mann as the Special Public Prosecutor to oversee the prosecution and all related proceedings against Rana in this high-profile terrorism case.

Rana's extradition follows the failure of his final appeal in the United States Supreme Court, which rejected his petition to block his transfer to Indian custody, thereby clearing the way for his return. PTI reports that the Indian government had pursued the matter through diplomatic and legal channels for several years, given Rana's alleged direct involvement in the planning and facilitation of the attacks that shook Mumbai in November 2008.

In response to the development, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi demanded the harshest possible punishment for Rana. In a strongly worded statement, she called for his public execution in Mumbai, stating it would serve as a powerful deterrent to those harbouring violent intentions against India.

(With inputs from PTI)