
(Image source from: Newsx.com)
Tahawwur Rana, who is implicated in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, is being transported to India via a specialized aircraft after he has utilized all his legal recourses in the United States, according to sources. This aircraft will require refueling and is anticipated to arrive later tonight or by early tomorrow morning.
This development follows the US Supreme Court's dismissal of Rana's appeal to halt his extradition to India. The court’s ruling on Monday stated, "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied."
Previously, in March, the US Supreme Court had also turned down a similar appeal. Rana had previously informed the US judiciary that he was afflicted with an abdominal aortic aneurysm at imminent risk of rupture, Parkinson’s disease with cognitive decline, as well as a mass indicative of bladder cancer. He expressed doubt about surviving long enough to face trial in India, claiming that he would be at risk due to the national, religious, and cultural prejudices present there. In February, during a joint press conference, US President Donald Trump declared that Rana would be held accountable for his actions in India while meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rana is known to be linked to David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American terrorist who played a significant role in planning the November 26 attacks in Mumbai in 2008. He is a businessman and physician of Pakistani origin, recognized for his work in immigration. It has been reported that he has ties with the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Although a jury in the US found him not guilty on charges of providing material support for the attacks, he was convicted on two other counts and sentenced to over ten years in prison. After his health deteriorated during the Covid pandemic, he was released from incarceration but was later rearrested to facilitate his extradition to India. Rana subsequently contested the extradition but has now run out of legal avenues to pursue.