Why is Tahawwur Rana being extradited from the United States to India? What will be there when he gets there?

On Thursday, Tahawwur Rana's bid to stop his extradition to India was turned down by Justice Elena Kagan of the US Supreme Court. Rana is a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) member. The 26/11 defendant is now requesting a second stay from US Chief Justice John Roberts.

On February 14, the administration of Donald Trump authorized Rana's extradition to India. He declared that Rana will now "face justice in India" and called him "one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack."

Indian officials have been looking into Rana for more than a decade; in 2011, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against Rana and eight other people they believed were involved in the Mumbai terror attack.

On Thursday, Tahawwur Rana's bid to stop his extradition to India was turned down by Justice Elena Kagan of the US Supreme Court. The prosecution of Rana Tahawwur is known as Rana. Hussain Rana, a former Pakistani military doctor, came to Canada in the 1990s and became a citizen there. He established First World Immigration Services, a consulting firm, after moving to Chicago, Illinois, and established a branch in Mumbai.

In 2011, the United States District Court in Chicago convicted Rana guilty of helping a failed conspiracy to kill the employees of a Danish newspaper and of conspiring to provide "material support" to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the terrorist organization behind the 26/11 attacks, between 2005 and 2009. Rana, however, was acquitted of providing material support to the LeT.

Headly said in his 2016 deposition to the Bombay Sessions Court that Rana had just become aware of the scheme a few months before the November 2008 bombings, despite his earlier statements to US prosecutors that he had informed Rana about the task that the LeT had assigned him.

Headley claimed in his 2016 deposition before the Bombay Sessions Court that he only told Rana about his activities a few months prior to the November 2008 attacks that killed 166 people, despite having told US prosecutors that he had told Rana about the mission LeT had given him.

US officials say Rana will first serve out his sentence in the United States. Headly had, however, entered into a plea deal with the US authorities that secured a reduced sentence of 35 years and immunity from extradition to India.

After testing positive with COVID-19 in 2020, Rana was granted an early release from California's Terminal Island prison due to health concerns. As Rana's term was nearing its expiration, the Indian government requested his re-arrest and renewed its request for extradition. He was later arrested in Los Angeles in June 2020.

This time, the US government openly supported the extradition request under President Joe Biden's direction. Judge Jacqueline Chooljian of the US District Court in Los Angeles heard the extradition case after the US Attorney's office contended that Rana met all prerequisites for extradition. Rana, on the other hand, argued that he had already been acquitted of all charges related to the Mumbai assault and was protected by Article 6 of the US-India extradition treaty.

The clause states that "Extradition shall not be granted when the person sought has been convicted or acquitted for the offence for which extradition is required in the Requested State."

The Indian case

After concluding its investigation into the Mumbai attacks, the NIA filed a chargesheet against Rana, Headley, and seven other people in 2011. All nine have been charged with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and murder and conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India under the Indian Penal Code, 1860, according to the NIA website's case page.

The charge sheet was submitted to a Delhi judge of the NIA Special Court Court, who issued new arrest warrants and declared the accused to have absconded in 2014.

Since the chargesheet has been filed and the investigation is finished, the NIA Special Court can start the trial as soon as Rana shows up. Since Rana is currently facing charges that carry life in prison or even the death penalty, the judge may move forward with framing them. Following the conclusion of the trial's various phases, such as witness examination, evidence and argument presentation, and the final verdict, either Rana or the NIA may file an appeal with the High Court and/or the Supreme Court of India.