The United States Supreme Court has rejected an “emergency application” filed by Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, opposing his extradition to India. Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, claimed he would face torture in India due to his Muslim and Pakistani background.
Rana had filed the Emergency Application For Stay with the Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit, arguing that his extradition violates US law and the United Nations Convention Against Torture. His plea cited “substantial grounds” to believe that he would be subjected to torture if sent to India.
Additionally, the application referred to his serious medical conditions, calling extradition to Indian detention facilities a “de facto death sentence.” It cited multiple health issues, including heart attacks, Parkinson’s disease, suspected bladder cancer, stage 3 chronic kidney disease, asthma, and cognitive decline. Rana’s legal team argued that without a stay, US courts would lose jurisdiction, and he would face “imminent death.”
US President’s Assurance on Extradition
The rejection of Rana’s plea comes weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump in Washington, where Trump announced Rana’s extradition to India to face justice over his role in the 26/11 attacks, which killed 166 people.
Rana’s Role in the 26/11 Attacks
Rana, 64, is a known associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. On November 26, 2008, multiple locations in South Mumbai were targeted by terrorists, leading to a three-day siege and rescue operations that concluded on November 29.
With the US Supreme Court’s rejection of his appeal, Rana’s extradition to India is now imminent, where he is expected to face legal proceedings related to one of the deadliest terror attacks in the country’s history.
Sources By Agencies
