Amid Reports Of Tahawwur Rana's Extradition, India Intensifies Efforts To Repatriate Exiled Top Fugitives

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, convicted in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, has exhausted his final legal avenue in the United States to avoid extradition to India.

The US Supreme Court approved Rana's extradition on Saturday, dismissing his review petition against the conviction.

Photo Credit: PTI

This paves the way for India to extradite the convicted terrorist and bring him to justice.

Apart from Rana, India is pursuing the extradition of several other fugitives who have fled abroad to evade domestic laws.

The Indian government stated last month that one-third of its fugitives are hiding in the US, which has become a "safe haven" for criminals and terrorists.

Here are five major extradition cases India is currently pursuing:

Tahawwur Hussain Rana

Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman, is implicated in the Mumbai attacks that claimed over 160 lives. A former military doctor who served in the Pakistani Army, he had foreknowledge of the 2008 attacks. Arrested in 2009 for a separate terror plot in Denmark, Rana was also convicted of providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The US Supreme Court has now cleared his extradition to India.

Arsh Dalla

Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill, alias Arsh Dalla, is the de facto leader of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force. Based in Canada, he is wanted in India for over 50 cases, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, and terrorist activities. Declared a "terrorist" in January 2004, Dalla is reportedly in contact with Pakistan's spy agency, ISI. Although arrested in October last year, he was granted bail in December, delaying India's extradition efforts.

Anmol Bishnoi

Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of Lawrence Bishnoi, who operates the notorious Bishnoi gang from a Gujarat prison, is wanted for high-profile cases, including the murders of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala and politician Baba Siddique. Arrested in the US last November for entering without valid documents, sources suggest there is little immediate possibility of his extradition to India despite a formal request from Delhi.

Vijay Mallya

Fugitive liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, wanted in India for defrauding banks of over ₹9,000 crore following the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines, fled to the UK in 2016. Declared a fugitive in 2019, Mallya's extradition remains entangled in prolonged legal proceedings in the UK. A fresh non-bailable warrant was issued against him by a CBI court last year in a separate ₹180 crore loan default case.

Nirav Modi

Diamantaire Nirav Modi, along with his uncle Mehul Choksi, is accused in the ₹14,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case. Allegedly colluding with bank officials, the duo orchestrated a massive financial scam. Nirav Modi fled India in 2018 and was arrested in London later that year. Currently imprisoned in the UK, he has so far lost all his appeals against extradition to India. Meanwhile, Mehul Choksi is in Antigua.

Additional Extradition Cases

Several other fugitives are also being pursued by India. Among them is Sanjay Bhandari, an arms deal consultant facing charges of tax evasion and money laundering in the UK.

Sourabh Chandrakar, a promoter of the Mahadev betting app, is another high-profile case. Arrested in Dubai in 2023 on money laundering charges, Chandrakar is reportedly under "house detention" as Indian agencies seek his deportation.