25 January,2025 03:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. File Pic
The United States Supreme Court has rejected the petition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who was convicted for his involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, clearing the way for his extradition to India. In response, Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut expressed that it is also time to bring back Nirav Modi, who is currently facing charges of fraud and money laundering, reported ANI.
Raut also called for the return of other fugitives, including gangster Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon.
"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.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo member Hannan Mollah welcomed the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, praising the court for allowing the extradition of the co-conspirator involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
ALSO READ
Maharashtra to get a third deputy CM from Shiv Sena (Shinde), says Sanjay Raut
Balasaheb Thackeray deserves Bharat Ratna honour says Sanjay Raut
Saif Ali Khan attack case: Sanjay Raut slams BJP for raising "Bangladeshi issue"
Sanjay Raut says, govt's handling of guardian ministers' appointment cites inter
All Bangladeshis should be removed: Sanjay Raut
"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.
Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske labelled the Supreme Court's denial of Rana's petition a significant victory for the Indian government.
"Tahawwur Hussain Rana is the main accused of the 26/11 attacks. The Indian Govt was trying to bring the accused back to India. This is a big victory for the govt of India. We will get more information for the investigation of the case once he is back," Mhaske told ANI.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a businessman of Pakistani origin, was found guilty of his role in the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, which led to the deaths of 164 individuals. His conspirators included David Headley, who pleaded guilty and cooperated against Rana.
On Tuesday, January 21, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Rana's petition for a writ of certiorari aimed at blocking his extradition to India. This petition was filed in November 2024 against a previous ruling by a lower court that had approved his extradition. A writ of certiorari allows a higher court to review a case from a lower court.
This could pave the way for his likely extradition to India. Rana was previously prosecuted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The second superseding indictment charged him with three counts. The jury convicted him on Count 11 (conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in Denmark). The jury also convicted Rana on Count 12 (providing material support to Lashkar-e Taiyba), reported ANI.
On January 7, 2013, the Northern District of Illinois court sentenced him to 168 months in prison. On June 10, 2020, a Magistrate Judge in the Central District of California (where Rana was serving his sentence) signed a provisional arrest warrant to extradite him to India to face charges there.
India's charges against him include conspiracy to commit various offences, including waging war, murder, forgery, and committing terrorist acts. Rana has remained in custody throughout the extradition proceedings.
Despite opposing his extradition, Rana's arguments were rejected by the extradition magistrate judge on May 16, 2023, who certified him as extraditable. He then sought a writ of habeas corpus from the U.S. District Court, which was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court on August 15, 2024, rejecting all of Rana's claims.
On November 13, 2024, Rana filed a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court against that ruling, which has now been denied.
(With inputs from ANI)
