US Supreme Court Clears Path for 26/11 Accused Tahawwur Rana's Extradition to India

Washington: The US Supreme Court has rejected the petition seeking a stay on Tahawwur Rana's extradition. Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, had appealed to the US Supreme Court not to be extradited to India. On Monday, the US top court rejected his petition. With this decision of the court, the way has been cleared to extradite Tahawwur Rana from the US to India. Rana, a 64-year-old Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles.

Tahawwur Rana had filed an application in the court on 27 February. In this, he had said that his extradition should be stopped until his habeas corpus petition is heard. This application was filed in the court of Justice Elena Kagan. She is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Last month, Kagan rejected the application. After this, Rana filed a fresh application. Rana's renewed application was listed for hearing on April 4. After this, it was told on the Supreme Court website on Monday that the application has been rejected.

Rana had argued that there is persecution in India

The US President Donald Trump administration had approved the extradition of Tahawwur Rana. After this, he is trying to stop his extradition through the court. Rana had argued in his petition filed in the Supreme Court that handing him over to India is a violation of US law and the United Nations Anti-Torture Convention. In the petition, he also said that being an accused in the Mumbai attacks and a Muslim of Pakistani origin, he is in danger of being tortured in India.

There was a terrorist attack in Mumbai, India on 26 November 2008. India is looking for Rana in this attack. 64-year-old Rana is known to be an associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley. Headley was one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. Rana is also accused of playing an important role in the 26/11 attacks. In such a situation, he will be prosecuted when he comes to India.