Tahawwur Rana extradition: U.S. court ruling brings justice closer for victims of 2008 Mumbai attacks

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

In a significant development, the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday approved the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, to India.

Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani descent, is facing multiple criminal charges related to the attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six U.S. citizens. India has declared him a fugitive in connection with the incident.

The Supreme Court dismissed Rana’s review petition against his extradition. He had filed a “petition for a writ of certiorari” in November 2024, which was rejected on January 21, 2025.

This ruling came one day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th U.S. President. The court’s decision read, “Petition denied.”

Rana’s legal battles had been unsuccessful in both lower and federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the North Circuit in San Francisco. U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar had urged the Supreme Court to reject Rana’s petition, a stance contested by Rana’s lawyer, Joshua L. Dratel.

Currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, Rana is a close associate of David Coleman Headley, the Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist who was instrumental in planning the Mumbai attacks. Headley, who turned approver in the case, is serving a 35-year sentence in the U.S.

India has long sought Rana’s extradition to bring him to trial for his alleged role in facilitating the horrific attacks that targeted iconic locations in Mumbai over four days in November 2008. The attacks, carried out by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, remain one of the deadliest terror incidents in India’s history.

With the Supreme Court’s ruling, Rana has now exhausted all legal avenues to prevent extradition, allowing India to proceed with bringing him to justice. This marks a significant step in the ongoing pursuit of justice for the victims of the 26/11 attacks.

(Photo courtesy: ANI)

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