The US Supreme Court has denied Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana’s plea to halt his extradition to India, following President Donald Trump’s approval of the move during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Washington.

Justice Elena Kagan refused Rana’s request for a stay, prompting his legal team to renew an emergency appeal, now directed to the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court.

Rana, a 63-year-old Canadian national of Pakistani origin, remains in custody at a Los Angeles detention center. He is a known associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley, one of the masterminds behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 175 lives.

In his latest appeal, Rana argued that extradition to India would expose him to torture due to his Pakistani origins and Muslim identity. However, his efforts have failed to secure relief from US courts.

During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US in February, President Trump publicly announced the decision to extradite Rana, labeling him a "very evil" individual who must "face justice in India." This followed a Supreme Court ruling in January that dismissed Rana’s review petition, removing any legal hurdles to his transfer.

India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) had charged Rana and eight others in 2011 for their role in orchestrating the coordinated four-day attack across Mumbai’s prime locations.

Reacting to the extradition approval, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reaffirmed the state's ability to handle high-profile criminals, referencing Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker of the 26/11 terror strike who was executed in 2012.

"We kept Kasab. What’s the big deal? We will keep him (Rana) for sure," Fadnavis stated, expressing confidence in Mumbai’s security infrastructure.