India in touch with US authorities for ‘speedy extradition’ of Tahawwur Rana: Foreign Secretary

India is in constant contact with US authorities to facilitate Tahawwur Rana’s’speedy and early extradition’ after the US approved his extradition to New Delhi according to Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra. Tahawwur Rana was one of the key conspirators who provided information to the terrorists for carrying out the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11.

In response to a question from the media about the planned meeting, Kwatra stated, “Look, as I’ve already mentioned to you, the bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit in Hiroshima are still being formed up. So I am not going to make any assumptions about which meetings would happen, and which meetings would not happen.”

“But whatever bilateral meetings that the Prime Minister holds on the sidelines of the G7 Summit with whichever leader, the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship with that particular country would fall under the scope of discussions between the Prime Minister and that leader. But very specifically not connected to the question of which bilateral meeting will take place or not.”

Regarding Tahawwur Rana’s extradition, he stated, “In so far as the question of Tahawwur Rana is concerned, we are in very regular touch with the US authorities to ensure that there is a speedy and early extradition of Tahvarana. We have all seen the judgment which was given by the local US court there. That conversation of ours with the US side is continuing.”

The 26/11 Mumbai conspirator Tahawwur Rana should be extradited to India in accordance with the extradition agreement between the US and India, a US court previously ruled. The order said that the Court had read and taken into account all of the materials provided both in favor of and against the request, as well as the arguments made by US authorities during the hearing. The court then decides and certifies to the US Secretary of State that Rana can be extradited for the alleged crimes that are the focus of the request based on that information.

In a 48-page court decision dated May 16 and made public on Wednesday, US Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian of the US District Court of California said the following. This declaration was made one month ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the US.

Tahawwur detained by US authorities ahead of PM Modi’s trip to US

This declaration was made one month ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the US. Rana was detained by US authorities as a result of an extradition request from India for his involvement in the Mumbai attacks, in which ten Pakistani terrorists besieged Mumbai for more than 60 hours, killing more than 160 people, including six Americans.

Authorities in India allege that Rana and David Coleman Headley, a boyhood buddy, plotted to help the Pakistani terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba plan the terrorist attacks. In Pakistan, Headley and Rana attended the same military high school.
Prosecutors assert that between 2006 and 2008, Rana’s immigration law center in Chicago and a satellite office in Mumbai served as a cover for their terrorist actions.

David Coleman Headley, the mastermind of the 26/11 assault in Mumbai, has admitted culpability and given evidence against Rana. Rana is attempting to avoid extradition by arguing that he was cleared of all charges related to the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks in a federal tribunal in Chicago. Rana claims he has already been cleared of the allegations he would have to answer to abroad.