26/11 Mumbai attack: US court approves Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India

In another step towards justice for victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, an American court has cleared the extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India. The court order dated May 16, 2023, was released a day later.

The Canadian businessman of Pakistani origin had been arrested in the USA on India's extradition request.

Rana has been accused of being part of the conspiracy to attack Mumbai in November 2008. He allegedly helped his childhood friend David Coleman Headley who was involved with the Pakistani terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The judge said that sufficient competent evidence has been presented to establish probable cause that Rana is the individual who has been charged in India and whose extradition has been sought by India in this action, and that Rana committed the aforementioned offences for which extradition has been sought.

"It is therefore ordered that Tahawwur Hussain Rana be and remain committed to the custody of the United States Marshal pending a final decision on extradition and surrender by the Secretary of State to India for the trial of the offences as to which extradition has been granted pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, section 3186 and the Treaty,” the judge ruled.

(With PTI inputs)