By Lalit K Jha

 

WASHINGTON

THEUS SupremeCourt has turned down a review petition by terror accused Tahawwur Rana, dismissing his last legal challenge against his extradition to Indiainconnectionwiththe2008Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. “PetitionDENIED,”theSupremeCourt said.The apex court’s order came on January 21, a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the US President. Earlier, Rana lost legal battles in several federal courts, including the US Court of Appeals for the North Circuit in San Francisco. Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, on November 13 filed a “petition for a writ of certiorari” before the

 

US Supreme Court to review the lower court’s ruling. Rana, who is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the mainconspirators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. HeadleyobtainedRana’sconsent toopenanofficeof First World Immigration Services as a cover forhis activities in India. Earlier, the US Governmenthad argued in the court that the petition for a writofcertiorari shouldbedenied.USSolicitorGeneral Elizabeth B Prelogar said this in its filing beforethe Supreme Court on December 16.