From 26/11 hero to NIA chief: Who is Sadanand Date, man leading probe against Tahawwur Rana?

Tahawwur Rana, who has been accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has finally been brought to India.

He will now directly face the National Investigation Agency (NIA), headed by Sadanand Date.

Date, a senior officer who will lead the interrogation of the man believed to be one of the masterminds behind the Mumbai attack, was himself injured while taking on the terrorists during the incident.

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**Rana** was brought to India on a special flight from the United States after his attempts to block extradition through the courts failed.

In this report, we explore who Sadanand Date is, his efforts during the Mumbai attacks, and the crucial role the Date-led NIA is playing in the investigation against Tahawwur Rana.

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Who is Sadanand Date?

1. Date is a 1990-batch officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS) from the Maharashtra cadre. He currently serves as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

2. Over the years, he has held major positions in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), before taking charge at the NIA.

3. Date grew up in Maharashtra’s Pune and faced financial hardships early in life. His mother worked as a domestic help, and he supported the family by selling newspapers, NDTV reported.

4. A bright student, he cleared the UPSC exam and joined the IPS. He went on to specialise in economic and organised crime, earning a doctorate in economic offences from Pune University. He was also selected for the prestigious Humphrey Fellowship.

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5. On the night of November 26, 2008, Date was among the first to respond to the terrorist siege in Mumbai and engaged the attackers in a direct confrontation.

6. His courage during the attacks earned him the President’s Medal for Gallantry.

7. He also received the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2007 and the Medal for Distinguished Service in 2014.

8. As Joint Commissioner of Police in Mumbai, Date initiated the setup of a lab to monitor social media content and established a dedicated centre for training officers in the Special Branch of the Mumbai Police, according to reports.

How Sadanand Date took on terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks

The Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 claimed 166 lives, including six Americans. Ten Pakistani militants launched coordinated strikes at key locations across the city, keeping Mumbai under siege for more than 60 hours.

Date, who suffered injuries during the attack, was among the first to face Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail during the operation.

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At around 9:30 PM on November 26, 2008, when the attacks began, Date was serving as the Additional Commissioner of Police, Central Region. Though the attacks took place in South Mumbai, outside his jurisdiction, he left his residence in Malabar Hill upon hearing the news and headed straight for the CST railway station.

Once at CST, he learnt that two attackers (later identified as Kasab and Ismail) had moved into the nearby Cama and Albless Hospital, a facility catering to women and children.

Fearing they might take hostages, he rushed to the hospital and spotted the terrorists firing from the rooftop. Date returned fire with his carbine, but the terrorists, positioned at a height, managed to avoid getting hit.

As he prepared to enter the building, Kasab tossed a grenade from the roof. It exploded just three feet away, killing Sub-Inspector Prakash More, who was accompanying him, NDTV reported.

Date and three other officers were injured in the blast. Despite his wounds, Date decided to remain on the scene and urged the other injured officers to leave and get medical help.

With the remaining personnel, he entered the hospital and reached the sixth floor, which led to the rooftop. From a position near the stairwell, he continued firing at the terrorists, holding them back for nearly 40 minutes.

Another grenade exploded close to him. The blast sent shrapnel into his legs and face, causing heavy bleeding.

Date briefly blacked out due to the explosion, which allowed Kasab and Ismail to flee. He suffered serious injuries to his eyes, throat, chest, right knee, and had deep wounds on his left ankle.

Investigations later confirmed that one of Date’s bullets had hit Abu Ismail, their leader. His efforts slowed the attackers, helped in the rescue of hostages, and left a key terrorist wounded.

In recognition of his bravery, Sadanand Date was awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry.

From 26/11 hero to leading Tahawwur Rana’s investigation

Rana landed in Delhi at around 7 pm, and one of the first officials to question him would be the very officer who was injured during the 26/11 attacks and who showed courage in the face of danger.

**Rana’s** extradition follows nearly two years of court proceedings in the United States. An extradition court gave its nod in May 2023. Rana fought the order through several legal channels, eventually appealing to the US Supreme Court in November 2024.

Seventeen years after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, with Tahawwur Rana now extradited from the US, attention shifts once again to Sadanand Date.

The NIA is the agency in charge of the case and will be responsible for pursuing prosecution against the Pakistani-Canadian accused of plotting the terror attack.

Speaking in an interview after the 2008 attack, Date said, “The 26/11 attack is the most challenging incident of my career and will stay with me for life. I tried to do my best according to my abilities.”