Terrorist Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has recently filed a request with Chief Justice John Roberts of the US Supreme Court to halt his extradition to India.

This appeal follows the rejection of his earlier plea by Justice Elena Kagan, which sought an emergency stay on his extradition. Rana's legal team argues that, as a Muslim of Pakistani origin, he faces a significant risk of torture if extradited to India, a claim he supports by referencing a recent UK court decision that denied extradition on similar grounds due to potential torture risks.

The US Supreme Court had previously dismissed Rana's plea against extradition on January 21, 2025, paving the way for his transfer to Indian authorities. The Indian government has been actively coordinating with US officials to finalize the logistics of his extradition, which is expected to occur soon despite Rana's ongoing legal challenges.

In his renewed application, Rana contends that his extradition is politically motivated and asserts that he would be subjected to severe mistreatment in India, where he claims he would be targeted due to his background and the nature of the charges against him.

Rana's case has drawn significant attention as it highlights complex legal and diplomatic issues surrounding extradition processes between the US and India.

The Supreme Court is set to review Rana's latest application during a private conference scheduled for April 4, 2025, where at least four justices must agree to grant a review for it to proceed.

ANI