The US Supreme Court on Saturday turned down a review petition by 2008 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana, clearing the way for his extradition to India where he is facing charges for his role in the terrorist attacks that killed 166 people.
“Petition DENIED,” the Supreme Court said. Rana lost legal battles in several federal courts, including the US Court of Appeals for the North Circuit in San Francisco.
Soon after the news broke, reaction from across the country started pouring in with Indian leaders welcoming the US court’s decision adding that other fugitives should also be brought back to India.
‘Bring back Nirav, Dawood’: Sanjay Raut on Rana’s extradition
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut asked the Indian government to bring back fugitive Nirav Modi, who is facing charges of fraud and money laundering.
He said that other fugitives including Gangster Dawood Ibrahmin, and Tiger Memon must also be brought back.
“This is a judicial process. Such judicial processes keep going on. Now Nirav Modi has to be brought, Dawood has to be brought, Tiger Memon has to be brought. The list is long,” Raut told reporters.
CPI(M) leader on Tahawwur Rana’s extradition verdict
Similarly, Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo member Hannan Mollah welcomed the decision while appreciating the Supreme Court of the United States of America (USA) for permitting to extradite the co-conspirator in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
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“Those criminals committed crime in India and they are staying there. The Indian government has asked for their extradition. It is good that the (US) Supreme Court has given permission. They’ll come and they will be tried here,” Hannan Mollah told ANI.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said that the Supreme Court denying Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s petition was a huge victory for the Indian government.
‘Rana’s extradition could reveal Pakistan’s involvement in 26/11 attacks’: Advocate Ujjwal Nikam
Advocate Ujjwal Nikam, who was the public prosecutor in the case in Mumbai, welcomed the decision and said that his extradition could reveal more about the involvement of Pakistani people from its security apparatus.
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“It’s a great success for India because the Supreme Court of America has dismissed the review petition of Tahawwur Rana. By extraditing Tahawwur Rana, India will get more information and evidence of the involvement of some of the Pakistani people, including the Pakistan security apparatus,” Nikam said.
Who is Tahawwur Rana?
Pakistani-origin businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana is wanted for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Rana’s co-conspirators included, among others, David Headley.
Rana faces charges for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai attack and is known to be associated with Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist David Coleman Headley.