By Sushil Kutty
Who all know 26/11 accused David Coleman Headley would also know Tahawwur Rana. The United States, which holds both accused in prisons there, isn’t willing to give up Headley, but is okay with Rana getting a one-way ticket to the tortuous Indian prison system, which isn’t something to write home about. With Donald Trump back in the Oval Office, US could have stopped Tahawwur Rana’s extradition, but Trump’s friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the “Pakistani” shifted to an Indian prison ASAP.
The Supreme Court of the United States rejected Rana’s eleventh hour special application to stop his extradition to India, which would be a pit-stop if only Rana survives the Indian prison system. Best place for Rana is Canada, where he hails from. A Canadian of Pakistani descent.
Tahawwur Rana told SCOTUS that his extradition to India will end only with his death and chances were he would be “subjected to torture”. SCOTUS, however, rejected Rana’s “emergency application.” Mind you, the Supreme Court of the United States is conservative-heavy and the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks killed several American citizens, too.
Tahawwur Rana is 64 and is being held at the metropolitan detention center in Los Angeles. Cohort and partner in crime David Coleman Headley isn’t around to console the Pakistani-Canadian terrorist, who along with Headley, was a main conspirator of 26/11.
Rana’s memories of those days in 2008 and before will flood his thoughts once the aircraft carrying him to India will make its final circle over the tarmac before landing on Indian soil. Tahawwur Rana still has many momentous moments to live through before his end catches up with him.
Rana submitted an “Emergency Application for Stay” in the United States’ judicial system to an Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, asking that his extradition be delayed until all legal remedies were exhausted, insisting that the extradition violated US law and the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
Rana’s team of expensive lawyers pointed out “substantial grounds” to prove that Rana will face torture in India and definitely so because Tahawwur is a Muslim and that, too, of Pakistani origin. And Tahawwur Ranahas several health issues. His emergency application listed Rana’s serious medical conditions, all of which added to a “death sentence.” Tahawwur Rana’s “life-threatening conditions” include several past heart attacks. Hallucinations from “Parkinson’s disease with cognitive decline.” And chances of bladder cancer and stage 3 chronic kidney disease. Also a history of asthma and being a victim of Covid-19.
However, Rana’s emergency application did not mention his sick mind. Since only a sick mind would sit around a table and plan the deaths of innocent people who wouldn’t have known that a certain Tahawwur Rana was conspiring with like-minded people to kill perfect strangers.
Nevertheless, with so many health emergencies, a condemned person wouldn’t mind torture but where there’s life, there is hope and Rana is not without hope. He was under the impression the Supreme Court of the United States would take mercy on him and halt his extradition. But SCOTUS was mum, blind, and deaf!
Rana’s counsel warned he might not survive “India” because of his “continually declining health’, which included a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm that could rupture under torture. Also, a pair of bilateral iliac aneurysms that could result in catastrophic internal haemorrhage!
In short, Tahawwur Rana is one of the walking dead, like in ‘Dead Man Walking’! If it was a movie, Rana’s lawyer would have told SCOTUS, “Tahawwur Rana has been murdered!” Rana wouldn’t know of “third-degree treatment” in the Indian prison system. But Rana will find friends in the Indian judicial system, like-minded individuals who share his worldview. This Canadian of Pakistani descent might even survive the ‘Anda Cell’.
Last heard, Indian authorities were working out the logistics of getting this mastermind of 26/11 moved to India. The US Supreme court has put Tahawwur Rana in a prisoner’s dilemma with little chance of working out a deal with the devil. The prisoner’s dilemma can be worked out only with an accomplice in the row and David Coleman Headley wouldn’t be in the plane circling over Mumbai. (IPA Service)
Sangh To Hold ‘Pratinidhi Sabha’ To Evolve Strategy For ‘Awakening Hindus’ 