Tahawwur Rana Extradition: As India secured the extradition of the country’s most wanted accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, let’s go through the journey of how he was tracked and extradited by the Indian agencies.
The journey of extradition involved multiple visits by the Indian agencies to the United States, convincing the US government and gathering evidence of his role.
Amid high security in the national capital, Rana, the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks landed in New Delhi on Thursday (April 10).
Also read: Who is David Headley? Former Home Secretary claims he’s the main culprit of 26/11 attacks,Tahawwur Rana ‘had a small role’
Rana, a Pakistan-born Canadian citizen, served as a Pakistan Army doctor and played a role in facilitating the Mumbai terror attack by assisting one of the masterminds of the attack, David Coleman Headley. Headley conducted reconnaissance in Mumbai with the help of Mumthe Bai branch of Rana’s travel agency.
As he has arrived, a team of two Inspector Generals (IG), one Deputy Inspector General (DIG), and one Superintendent of Police (SP) will interrogate him and take further action. Given the high-profile case, the Delhi Police SWAT team has been deployed for the safe movement of NIA officials.
Also read: We will never forget: Tahawwur Rana, 26/11 terror attack plotter, is in India. What happened in Mumbai and where are perpetrators?
How India got the extradition?
India secured the extradition of Tahawwur Rana with the help of two crucial factors, top government sources told ANI. The factors were:
Legal rebuttal of the double jeopardy claim
The first factor was India’s legal argument against the principle of double jeopardy. The Indian authorities, represented by a strong team of legal experts, convinced the US officials that the protection against double jeopardy is based on the specific elements of a crime and not just the defendant’s conduct.
Rana was never tried in India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Hence, prosecuting him under this law would not violate the double jeopardy clause.
Following this, Rana’s legal team approached the US Supreme Court to halt his extradition, citing the double jeopardy defence.
The US authorities eventually agreed with India and cleared the path for Rana’s transfer.
Also read: Tahawwur Rana, key plotter in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case lands in India
India’s diplomatic efforts with the US
Coming to India’s cordial relations with the US, it helped too with extraditing Rana. Sources said that India’s global standing, its strong diplomatic footprint, and cordial relations with the US helped navigate legal complexities and fast-track Rana’s extradition.
The extradition of Rana marks a great victory for India’s pursuit of justice for the victims of the Mumbai attacks, that killed 174 people.
Also read: Tahawwur Rana: From 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to his extradition – A timeline | WION Explains
(With inputs from agencies)