26/11 mastermind Tahawwur Rana to be brought to India today

Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, will be brought to India from the US on Thursday. Rana tried all tricks to avoid being extradited to India, but none of his tricks succeeded in the US courts. Rana’s extradition is expected to expose the Pakistan government’s role in the terror attack.

Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana is likely to be lodged in a high-security ward in Tihar jail on his arrival in India after being extradited from the US. Police sources have given this information. Necessary preparations have been made to keep him in Tihar, jail sources said. Police are awaiting the court’s order.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “Rana’s extradition is a big success of the Modi government. The government is trying to bring to justice those who attacked India’s honour, land and people. Rana had appealed to the US Supreme Court as a last resort to avoid extradition.

The Supreme Court had dismissed the petition a few days ago. A team of Indian agencies had already arrived in the US to bring Rana to India. After the verdict, the team along with the US authorities completed the paperwork and legal procedures for Rana’s extradition and took him into custody. The team will reach India by Thursday afternoon.

Rana had filed an emergency application on February 27 before the US Supreme Court Associate Justice and Circuit Judge Elena Kagan of the Ninth Circuit to stay the pending trial of the habeas corpus petition. At the beginning of last month, Judge Kagan denied the request.

After this, Rana again filed an application. It was heard on April 4 and the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal. Earlier, Rana had sought exemption from extradition citing illness and threat to his life in India. During a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, US President Donald Trump had announced that he had approved Rana’s extradition.

Rana is close to Headley

Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, is a close associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley. Headley is one of the key conspirators of the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. A total of 166 people were killed in the attack, including six Americans. The attack was carried out by Pakistani terrorists. Rana’s interrogation is expected to give clues about the Pakistani handlers.