Washington, March 6 — Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has petitioned the United States Supreme Court for an emergency stay on his extradition to India, arguing that he may not survive long enough to face trial.
“If a stay is not entered, there will be no review at all, and the US courts will lose jurisdiction, and the petitioner will soon be dead,” Rana stated in his appeal.
He claimed that his extradition would expose him to a high risk of torture in India due to his Muslim faith, Pakistani heritage, past service in Pakistan’s military, and the nature of the charges against him.
Rana referenced the Human Rights Watch 2023 World Report, alleging that the BJP-led government systematically discriminates against religious minorities, particularly Muslims.
He also described India as “increasingly autocratic,” arguing that his surrender to Indian authorities would place him in grave danger.
Beyond concerns over potential mistreatment, Rana cited serious health conditions, including a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm at risk of rupture, Parkinson’s disease with cognitive decline, and a suspected bladder tumor.
He argued that extradition would place him in a “hornet’s nest” where he would be targeted due to national, religious, and cultural animosity.
The US Supreme Court had recently rejected a review petition by Rana, clearing a major legal hurdle for his extradition. Following the ruling, former President Donald Trump confirmed that his administration had approved the extradition, calling Rana “very evil.”
A former physician and businessman, Rana is a known associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the key conspirators behind the Mumbai attacks.
Indian authorities have long accused Rana of facilitating the attack through his alleged ties to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), an issue that has remained a point of contention between India and the United States for years.
Read More: US SC Approves Tahawwur Rana’s Extradition to India
