26/11 Accused Tahawwur Rana May be Extradited to India: Sources
India is trying to finish off extradition paperwork before the end of Rana’s 14-year jail term in US in Dec 2021.
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There is a "strong possibility" of Tahawwur Hussain Rana – currently serving a 14-year jail term in the US for plotting the 2008 Mumbai terror attack – being extradited to India, an informed source told PTI.
The Indian government, with "full cooperation" from the Trump administration, is currently working on completing the necessary paperwork to ensure the extradition of the Pakistani-Canadian national, before his current jail term ends in December 2021.
Rana was arrested in 2009 on the charges of plotting the 26/11 terror attack. Some 166 people, including US nationals, were killed in the attack carried out by 10 Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured and hanged after handed down the death sentence by an Indian court.
In 2013, Rana was sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment. According to the US officials, he is set to be released in December 2021.
But the "challenge" is to complete the necessary paperwork during this period and overcome the cumbersome bureaucracy of the two countries and the independent judiciary, the source said.
India's Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Law and Justice and the US' State Department and the Department of Justice, each of them have their own extradition procedure in place. And they are unwilling to cut down or speed up their own process when it comes to extradition, the source added.
Rana May be Deported to Canada if US-India Don’t Complete Paperwork
From now on, the NIA is expected to have direct communication with their US counterparts to cut short the timeframe and bureaucratic formalities.
In case, the US government in cooperation with the Indian government is unable to complete the necessary paperwork before that, officials here said it would become very tough to ensure a smooth extradition of Rana once he is released from the jail in Chicago, where he is currently serving his sentence.
However, people familiar with the matter told PTI, that there is a "desire" so there is assurance from the highest level in the Trump administration that all necessary steps would be taken in timely fashion to ensure extradition of Rana before his release.
According to the US officials, the extradition of Rana would help in cementing the relationship between the two countries, boost up the counter-terrorism co-operation and enhance America's image among Indians.
On the 10th anniversary of the Mumbai terror attack, in November 2018, the Trump administration had reiterated its resolve to bring to justice those involved in it. Vice President Mike Pence had raised this issue during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November.
During their recent visit, the NIA team also received guidance from their US counterparts on the paperwork which India needs to complete to meet the requirements of the American judiciary system and their standards.
Why is India Seeking Rana’s Extradition?
India would not seek extradition of Rana on the charges for which he is already serving his jail sentence, as officials pointed out that the "double jeopardy" clause in the US justice system prohibits to punish a person twice for the same crime.
Citing the partial government shutdown, the State Department and the Department of Justice expressed their inability to respond to the questions related to the extradition of Rana.
The Indian Embassy and Rana’s attorney did not respond to a question on this issue.
(This story has been published in an arrangement with PTI)
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