In a dramatic turn of events, Tahawwur Rana, the Pakistani-Canadian businessman accused of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has approached the US Supreme Court in a final attempt to avoid extradition to India. Rana, who faces charges of conspiracy and providing material support to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, filed an emergency appeal on Thursday, seeking a stay on his previously approved extradition. His petition raises alarming allegations of potential torture and inadequate survival chances if he is sent to India to face trial.
Rana’s legal team has argued that his extradition would expose him to grave risks, including torture and inhumane treatment in Indian custody. The petition, filed with the US Supreme Court, emphasizes the urgency of the matter, stating, “If a stay is not entered, there will be no review at all, and the US courts will lose jurisdiction, and the petitioner will soon be dead.” This stark warning underscores Rana’s contention that his life would be in imminent danger if he is extradited to India.
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks, which left 166 people dead and hundreds injured, were orchestrated by the Pakistan-based LeT. Rana, a close associate of David Coleman Headley, the key plotter of the attacks, is accused of facilitating Headley’s activities by providing cover through his immigration consultancy business. While Headley pleaded guilty in a US court and is serving a 35-year prison sentence, Rana was acquitted of direct involvement in the attacks but convicted of supporting LeT in a separate plot against a Danish newspaper. He completed his sentence in the US in 2020 but has since been fighting extradition to India.
Rana’s latest appeal comes after a series of legal setbacks. In May 2023, a US district court approved his extradition to India, a decision that was later upheld by a federal court. The US State Department also greenlit the extradition, paving the way for his transfer to Indian authorities. However, Rana’s legal team has consistently challenged these rulings, citing concerns over his safety and the fairness of the Indian judicial system.
In his petition to the Supreme Court, Rana highlighted multiple factors that he claims would jeopardize his survival in India. These include the alleged prevalence of torture in Indian prisons, the lack of adequate medical facilities, and the potential for biased proceedings given the high-profile nature of the case. Rana’s lawyers have also pointed to India’s human rights record, arguing that their client would not receive a fair trial and would be subjected to inhumane conditions.
The Indian government, however, has dismissed these allegations as baseless and has repeatedly assured that Rana would receive a fair trial. Indian authorities have been keen to bring Rana to justice, viewing his extradition as a critical step in holding all perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks accountable. The attacks, which targeted iconic locations in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, remain a painful chapter in India’s history.
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