An American court on Wednesday approved India’s request to extradite Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana to India over his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
Court’s Order
Judge Jacqueline Chooljian, a magistrate at the US District Court in the Central District of California, allowed Rana’s extradition in a 48-paged order after reviewing all the documents presented in support and opposition of the request.
The court held that India and the US had an extradition treaty. Since the court charged him with serious offences, including conspiracy to wage war, murder, committing a terrorist attack, and conspiracy to commit a terrorist attack, the judge ruled that his extradition was within the jurisdiction of the two countries’ treaty.
As a result, the Secretary of State will be allowed to deport Rana.
US Court approves extradition of 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana to India. The request was made by India supported by the Biden Administration pic.twitter.com/x3HyXoI96o
— Lalit K Jha ललित के झा (@lalitkjha) May 17, 2023
While arguing in favour of his extradition, the US government argued that Rana was aware of his childhood friend and 26/11 mastermind David Coleman Headley’s involvement with Lashkar-e-Taiba, which orchestrated the 2008 attacks. Rana also assisted Headley financially and supported the terrorist groups’ activities.
In addition, it was argued that Rana was entirely aware of the attacks and the targets and supported the conspiracy.
In Rana’s defence, his lawyers claimed that his school friend Headley had deceived him and lied about Rana’s association to negotiate a shorter sentence.
Accepting the government’s argument, the judge ordered Rana to remain in custody until he finally surrendered to India for trial.
The Indian National Investigation Agency is investigating Rana’s involvement in the 26/11 attacks in 2008, during which 12 police officers, 122 Indian civilians, and 26 foreign nationals were killed, and a further 291 injured. Six Americans also died in the 60-hour-long attack in India’s financial capital.
#WATCH | "The order of the American court extraditing Tahawwur Rana (26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused) is a great victory for India. It is for the first time according to my knowledge, American govt has heavily relied upon Indian investigation agency's evidence...": Ujjwal… pic.twitter.com/R8SEvxZoO7
— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2023
The security agency said that it will initiate diplomatic efforts to bring him to India.
India’s Request
Rana was arrested in Chicago in October 2009. However, in 2020, he was granted early release from the South California prison after testing positive for COVID-19. This instigated India’s concern that Rana would be released, given that he was serving his final year of sentence.
Consequently, in June 2020, the Indian government sought Rana’s extradition, which the Biden administration soon approved.
Rana is a 62-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian national who attended Pakistan’s Hasan Abdal Cadet School along with Headley. After serving as a doctor with the Pakistani Army, he moved to Canada and was granted Canadian citizenship.
Thereafter, in Chicago, he established a consultancy firm and set up a branch in Mumbai, providing Headley with the ideal excuse to repeatedly travel to India and identify targets for the attacks, which included historic and popular tourist locations in the financial capital.