The US Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, seeking a stay on his extradition to India. Justice Elena Kagan dismissed Rana’s application on Thursday, denying his request to delay his extradition.
Rana, who had filed an emergency plea to the Supreme Court, argued that he would not survive long enough to be tried in India due to his deteriorating health. In his application, he claimed that if the stay were not granted, the US courts would lose jurisdiction, and he would soon die. He further contended that his extradition would expose him to heightened risks of torture in India, citing his Muslim religion, Pakistani origin, and former military ties to Pakistan as key factors for the potential harm.
In his appeal, Rana expressed concern that he would be targeted due to his background and the nature of the charges against him related to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He also cited his ongoing health issues, including a life-threatening abdominal aortic aneurysm, Parkinson’s disease with cognitive decline, and a mass potentially indicative of bladder cancer. Rana argued that these health conditions, combined with the likelihood of being subjected to torture in India, would make his extradition a death sentence.
Earlier in February, US President Donald Trump had announced the decision to extradite Rana to India, emphasizing that he would face justice for his alleged involvement in the attacks. The announcement was made during a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tahawwur Rana is a known associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed over 170 people. Rana, a Pakistani-origin businessman and physician, is alleged to have facilitated the attacks with connections to the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). His extradition has been a long-standing point of contention between India and the United States.
(With ANI inputs)
