Tahawwur Rana filed a fresh application to stop his extradition to India after the US Supreme Court rejected his emergency plea.
Tahawwur Rana, the prime accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has submitted a fresh application before the US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to stay his extradition to India. The US Supreme Court, through Justice Elena Kagan, rejected Rana's emergency application for a stay on March 6, 2025, paving the way for his extradition. Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian citizen, claims that he could face torture and serious health risks if he is extradited to India, citing his Muslim identity, Pakistani origin and previous service in the Pakistani military.
https://newshedline643.blogspot.com/2025/03/blog-post_9.html
Key Points:
Extradition Rejection: The US Supreme Court, through Justice Elena Kagan, rejected Rana's emergency application for a stay on March 6, 2025.
Renewed Application: Following the rejection, Rana immediately submitted a fresh application before Chief Justice John Roberts, requesting a stay on his extradition.
Health concerns: Rana claims he has several serious illnesses, including a heart attack, Parkinson's disease, a suspicious bladder cancer mass and chronic kidney disease, arguing that extradition to India would be a "de facto" death sentence.
Risk of torture: Rana argues that he faces a high risk of abuse in India due to his identity as a Muslim of Pakistani origin and his previous service in the Pakistani military.
Legal arguments: Rana's legal team has cited the Human Rights Watch 2023 World Report, which describes the Indian government as "increasingly authoritarian" and highlights systematic discrimination against religious minorities, particularly Muslims.
Indian government's stance: The Indian government is firm on Rana's extradition and is working closely with US authorities to complete the necessary formalities. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the extradition is consistent with President Trump's comments and the joint statement adopted during Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US in February.
Background: Rana was convicted in the US for conspiring to provide material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and for his role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison, which he will complete in 2023, followed by supervised release.
Extradition treaty: The extradition is based on the India-US extradition treaty signed in 1997, which allows the extradition of individuals accused or convicted of serious crimes in either country.
Next steps:
Chief Justice Roberts' decision: The renewed application is now in the hands of Chief Justice John Roberts, who will decide whether to stay the extradition or allow it to proceed.
Indian action: If Rana is extradited to India, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will take him into custody and begin trial. The NIA has already filed a chargesheet against Rana and seven others, accusing them of murder, conspiracy to wage war against the government and conspiracy to commit terrorist acts.