26/11 Mumbai Attack Case: US SC give nods to Tahawwur Rana’s extradition to India; Review plea denied

Jan 25, 2025

New Delhi. January 25 (ANI): Pakistani origin businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana who was convicted for his role in the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai that resulted in the death of 164 people could now be extradited to India. Rana's co-conspirators included, among others, David Headley. Headley pleaded guilty and cooperated against Rana. In a major diplomatic victory for India, the United States Supreme Court on January 21 denied a petition of writ of certiorari filed by Rana seeking to prevent his extradition to India. The writ had been filed in November 2024 against an earlier order of a lower court that had ruled in favour of his extradition to India. A writ of certiorari is a legal document that allows a higher court to review a case from a lower court. This could pave the way for his likely extradition to India. India's charges consist of conspiracy to commit various offences, including to wage war, to murder, to commit two forms of forgery, and to commit a terrorist act. Rana has remained in custody throughout the extradition process. Rana opposed extradition but on May 16, 2023, the extradition magistrate judge rejected Rana’s arguments and certified that he was extraditable. Rana then petitioned the United States District Court for the Central District of California for a writ of habeas corpus. On August 15, 2024, the Ninth Circuit Court affirmed the judgment of the habeas court. The court rejected each of Rana's arguments. On November 13, 2024, Rana filed a writ of certiorari against that verdict in the Supreme Court which the court has now denied.