Tahawwur Rana Appeals to Chief Justice Roberts to Block Extradition to India

 Washington, D.C. [US], March 20 : Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has petitioned U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to halt his extradition to India. This follows the rejection of his review petition by Justice Elena Kagan earlier this month.

According to information published on the U.S. Supreme Court's website, Rana's application has been distributed to the Supreme Court judges for a conference scheduled on April 4, 2025. His renewed request seeks an emergency stay on his extradition.

"Petitioner Tahawwur Rana has renewed his Emergency Application for Stay Pending Litigation of Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, previously addressed to Justice Kagan, and requests that the renewed application be directed to Chief Justice Roberts," states the appeal, as per the order published on the Supreme Court’s website.

Earlier this month, Justice Kagan denied Rana’s initial application for a stay of extradition. In his petition, Rana contends that he would not survive long enough to stand trial in India, citing significant health concerns.

"If a stay is not entered, there will be no review at all, and the U.S. courts will lose jurisdiction, and the petitioner will soon be dead," Rana argued in his plea. He further claimed that his extradition to India would likely result in torture due to his Pakistani origin, Muslim faith, and former affiliation with the Pakistani Army. Additionally, he cited his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks and his chronic health conditions as exacerbating factors that could place his life at risk.

Rana underscored his deteriorating health in his appeal, stating that he suffers from a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm at immediate risk of rupture, Parkinson’s disease with cognitive decline, and a mass indicative of bladder cancer. He asserted that his extradition would place him in a "hornet’s nest," exposing him to national, religious, and cultural hostilities.

In February, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Rana's impending extradition to India, stating that he would face justice. The announcement was made during a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following their bilateral meeting.

Rana, a Pakistani-origin businessman, physician, and immigration entrepreneur, is a known associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the primary conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. His alleged ties to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have long been a matter of contention between India and the United States.