Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is being extradited to India after a prolonged legal battle in the United States came to an end. Sources have confirmed that a special aircraft carrying the Pakistani-origin businessman is en route to India and is expected to land tonight or early tomorrow, after a scheduled refuelling stop.
Rana, who had been fighting extradition for several years, recently saw his final legal appeal rejected by the United States Supreme Court. In a terse ruling on Monday, the court stated: “The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied.” A similar request had previously been turned down in March, sealing Rana’s fate.
The 63-year-old, who was once convicted in the U.S. for other charges, had argued against his extradition on medical and humanitarian grounds. He claimed to suffer from multiple serious health issues, including an abdominal aortic aneurysm, Parkinson’s disease, and a suspected bladder tumor. His legal team contended that he was unlikely to survive a trial in India and raised concerns over potential religious and cultural persecution if extradited.
Despite these claims, American authorities moved forward with the extradition process. The shift gained significant momentum after U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to India in February, where he stood alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and publicly committed to ensuring that Rana would face justice in India.
Rana is widely believed to be closely linked to Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the masterminds of the November 26 attacks in Mumbai that left 166 people dead. Investigators have tied Rana to terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Although a U.S. jury had previously acquitted Rana of charges directly related to the Mumbai attacks, he was found guilty of other offenses and sentenced to over 10 years in prison. He was released in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic due to health concerns but was re-arrested shortly thereafter on India’s extradition request.
Rana’s imminent arrival marks a significant development in the long-standing efforts by Indian authorities to bring all those responsible for the 26/11 attacks to justice. The extradition is being seen as a diplomatic and legal victory for India and could pave the way for further cooperation on international counter-terrorism efforts.
