New Delhi

In a significant development in the investigation into the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, a Delhi court at Patiala House has directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to speed up the filing of a supplementary chargesheet against Tahawwur Hussain Rana in the broader conspiracy case.

The court has asked the agency to make every effort to submit the additional chargesheet by May 2026, and scheduled the next hearing for April 24.

During the proceedings, the NIA informed the court that it has secured Rana’s voice samples, which are expected to be crucial in supporting the evidence collected so far.

Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian national, is accused of assisting in reconnaissance activities linked to the 2008 attacks carried out by David Coleman Headley, who had ties with the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

According to investigators, Rana allegedly established an immigration consultancy firm in Mumbai as a front, which was used by Headley to survey key locations targeted in the coordinated attacks that claimed over 170 lives.

The agency maintains that the office had no genuine business operations and instead functioned as a cover for surveillance activities ahead of the attacks. It has further alleged that Rana was part of a larger conspiracy, dating back to around 2005, involving operatives based in Pakistan to carry out terrorist activities in India.

Rana was extradited from the United States to India in 2025 after his legal appeals were rejected by American courts. He is currently in custody following a non-bailable warrant issued by a special NIA court.

Officials said his interrogation has yielded important leads, prompting further investigation and the need for a supplementary chargesheet. The agency has also sought assistance from US authorities to gather additional evidence.

Rana faces multiple serious charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, including conspiracy, waging war against the nation, murder, and other terror-related offences.

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With the court setting a clear timeline, further progress in the case is expected in the coming weeks as investigators continue to piece together the larger conspiracy behind the attacks.