US Supreme Court on Saturday cleared 2008 Mumbai terror attack convict Tahawwur Rana’s extradition to India, PTI reported.
India has long sought the extradition of Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, as he is wanted in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks case.
This comes weeks after Rana approached the US Supreme Court against his extradition to India after losing the legal battle in lower courts.
On January 21, The US Supreme Court denied a petition of writ of certiorari filed by Rana seeking to prevent his extradition to India.
Rana had last reached out to the US Court of Appeals for the North Circuit in San Francisco after losing the legal battle in lower courts and several federal courts.
This was Rana’s last legal chance not to be extradited to India.
On December 16, US Solicitor General Elizabeth B Prelogar urged the Supreme to reject the petition. Rana’s counsel Joshua L Dratel, in his response on December 23 challenged the US Government’s recommendation and pleaded with the Supreme Court that his writ be accepted.
Tahawwur Rana extradition: What are the charges against him?
Rana faces charges for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai attack and is known to be associated with Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the terror incident that hit India’s financial hub in 2008.
A total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the Mumbai terror attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege, attacking and killing people at iconic and vital locations in Mumbai.
