Once again there is bad news for India. A US court has given more time to Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, to file a petition against his extradition to India.

In fact, on August 2, United States District Judge Dale S. Fisher of the Central District of the American city of California had rejected Rana's habeas corpus writ petition. He had appealed against this order in the Ninth Circuit Court that he should not be handed 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 had said Rana's extradition to India is stayed pending the completion of his appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court.

On the other hand, the Ninth Circuit Court had agreed to Rana's request for more time to present his arguments. The court had initially given time of 10 October on this. The US government was asked to reply by November 8.

At the same time, according to the new order of the court, Rana has to present his argument before the court on November 9. Whereas the government has to present its stand till December 11.

Rana was arrested in the US following an extradition request by India over his role in the deadly terror attacks in Mumbai on 26 November 2008. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating Rana's role in the 26/11 attacks carried out by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in 2008. NIA said that it is ready to initiate proceedings through diplomatic channels to bring Rana to India. India had filed a complaint on June 10, 2020, seeking the temporary arrest of 62-year-old Rana with a view to extradition. The Biden administration had supported Rana's extradition to India.