New York: A month before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first state visit to the US, a federal court has agreed to the extradition of Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana to India on New Delhi’s request through Washington. The Indian government was seeking the extradition of Rana, accused of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. In a major victory in India’s fight to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to justice, US Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian of the Central District Court of California on Wednesday issued a 48-page order, stating that India Rana should be extradited to India under the extradition treaty between India and the US.
The order states, that ‘the court has reviewed and considered all the documents submitted in support and opposition to this request and the submissions made in the hearing. Based on such review and consideration and for the reasons discussed herein, the Court comes to this conclusion and authorizes the US Secretary of State to proceed with extradition proceedings.” Just a month before coming to America for the trip. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host a state dinner on June 22 to welcome Modi.
The order said that the court could not certify Rana’s extradition unless there is probable cause to believe that he has committed the offense for which extradition is being requested. “The court therefore finds that Rana has committed the offenses for which his extradition is sought and that, under the Extradition Treaty between the United States and India, Rana should be extradited to India,” the order said. ”
On June 10, 2020, India lodged a complaint seeking the provisional arrest of 62-year-old Rana with a view to extradition. The Biden administration had supported and approved Rana’s extradition to India. A State Department spokesperson said in response to a question that we refer you to the Department of Justice for specific information on this matter. Rana was arrested in the US after India requested his extradition for his role in the horrific terrorist attacks in Mumbai on 26 November 2008. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said that it is ready to initiate proceedings to bring him to India through diplomatic channels.
Rana’s role in the 26/11 attacks carried out by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists is being probed by the NIA. During the court hearing, attorneys for the US government argued that Rana knew that his childhood friend, Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley, was involved in Lashkar-e-Taiba and thus aided and abetted Headley in his activities. By providing, he helped the terrorist organization and its associates. On the other hand, Rana’s counsel opposed the extradition.
A total of 166 people including six Americans were killed in the Mumbai terror attacks. These attacks were carried out by 10 Pakistani terrorists. These attacks continued for more than 60 hours at prestigious and important places in Mumbai. A terrorist named Ajmal Kasab was caught alive in these attacks, who was hanged in India on 21 November 2012. The rest of the terrorists were killed by the Indian security forces during the attacks. There is an extradition treaty between India and the US. The judge ruled that Rana’s extradition to India was entirely within the jurisdiction of the treaty.
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