There is bad news for India. The extradition of Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, to India, has been put on hold. A US court has ordered this, rejecting the appeal of the Biden administration.

In fact, on August 2, United States District Judge Dale S. Fisher of the Central District of the American city of California dismissed Rana's habeas corpus writ petition. Against this order, he appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court not to hand him over to India till the hearing.

Regarding this, District Judge Dale S. Fischer issued a new order on 18 August. He said that the ex-parte application seeking stay on Rana's extradition is allowed. He also rejected the government's recommendations that there should be no stay on Rana's extradition. The judge said Rana's extradition to India is stayed pending the completion of his appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court.

Rana was arrested in the US after India requested his extradition for his role in the horrific terror attacks in Mumbai on 26 November 2008. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing Rana's role in the 26/11 attacks carried out by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in 2008. The NIA said it was ready to initiate proceedings through diplomatic channels to bring Rana back to India. India lodged a complaint on June 10, 2020, seeking the provisional arrest of 62-year-old Rana with a view to extradition. The Biden administration supported Rana's extradition to India.

During the court hearing, lawyers for the US government argued that Rana knew that his childhood friend, Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley, was involved in the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Despite this, Rana helped Headley. Rana was also aware that Headley was planning the attack and thus helped the terrorist organization and its associates by assisting Headley and providing cover for his activities.