• Source:JND
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Tahawwur Rana, one of the key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 people dead, is being extradited from the United States to India. His extradition follows the rejection of his final appeal by the US Supreme Court, which denied his petition seeking a stay on the transfer. 

Rana had previously submitted a similar request, which was turned down in March. With his legal avenues now fully exhausted, the extradition process has moved forward. The US decision comes after a joint announcement in February by US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where Trump assured that Rana would face justice in India.

High-Profile Extraditions To India

Tahawwur Rana’s extradition adds to the list of significant international fugitives who have been brought back to India in recent years, often after complex legal and diplomatic processes. Take a look at one of the most high-profile extraditions to India: 

- Abu Salem was one of the earliest major extraditions, brought back from Portugal in 2005. Salem was a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts and was also involved in organised crime and multiple murder cases. His extradition was considered a landmark success under India’s treaty with Portugal.

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- Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam, was extradited from the United Arab Emirates in 2018. His case marked the first major instance of a white-collar criminal being handed over under the India-UAE extradition treaty, and it offered insight into corruption and lobbying in defence deals.

- Ravi Pujari, a fugitive underworld don, was finally extradited in 2020 after being arrested in South Africa and held in Senegal. Pujari was wanted in numerous cases involving extortion, murder, and issuing threats to Bollywood celebrities and politicians. His capture and return ended a years-long international manhunt.

- Fateh Singh, an aide of Delhi gangster Neeraj Bawana, was extradited from Thailand in 2023. He was wanted in several criminal cases, including murder and extortion and was considered a critical link in Delhi’s organised crime networks.

- Rajiv Saxena, also linked to the AgustaWestland scam, was extradited from the UAE in 2019. Accused of money laundering and acting as a conduit for illegal funds, his return provided investigators with deeper insight into the financial web of the scam.

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Low Success Rate In Extraditions

Meanwhile, despite 178 extradition requests made by India between January 2019 and December 2024, only 23 fugitives have been successfully returned. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha in December 2024 that tens of Indian extradition requests are currently under review by the United States. Rai noted that many of these fugitives are wanted for terrorist activities and added that the government continues to engage in diplomatic efforts to ensure their return.