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NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday hailed the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, one of the key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, calling it a major diplomatic triumph for the Narendra Modi-led government. He asserted that the move should serve as a strong warning to fugitives enjoying luxury abroad that they will inevitably have to face Indian justice.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma said, “Rana’s extradition is a big diplomatic victory because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji. American courts had earlier acquitted him in the Mumbai terror case only because there was no proper follow-up by the then UPA government. He was in jail in the US in connection with another case.”
Rana’s return ends 16-year wait for justice
Tahawwur Rana, a 64-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman, was brought back to India by a team of NIA officials on Thursday evening on a chartered aircraft. His extradition from the United States marks a significant breakthrough in India’s attempt to prosecute one of the key figures accused of aiding the planning and logistics of the 26/11 attacks that killed 166 people and injured over 230 in Mumbai.
Rana is accused of facilitating reconnaissance activities in Mumbai for his childhood friend David Coleman Headley, another 26/11 accused who is currently serving a prison sentence in the US. Rana allegedly used his immigration business as a front to help Headley get access to India.
The extradition comes after a prolonged legal process in the United States, where an American court had earlier rejected India’s request citing double jeopardy, but eventually cleared the way following detailed submissions from Indian authorities and diplomatic negotiations.
Sarma: Fugitives won’t be safe abroad anymore
CM Sarma said the message from Rana’s extradition is clear: fugitives can no longer hide behind foreign borders.
“This is a warning to all absconders. They may be living luxurious lives abroad now, but with Modi ji at the helm, they will have to come back. Their relief is only temporary,” he said.
The BJP leader took a sharp dig at the Congress-led UPA government, blaming it for Rana’s earlier acquittal in the US and accusing it of “failing to pursue the case with seriousness.”
‘Judiciary will give him what he deserves’
Sarma expressed full confidence in the Indian judicial system, saying, “We have full faith in our judiciary, and it will deliver justice. Rana will get what he deserves.”
Sarma recalls narrow escape during 26/11
In a personal anecdote, Sarma shared that he narrowly escaped the 26/11 attacks. At the time a minister in the Congress-led Assam government, he said he had initially booked a room at Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace Hotel — one of the main sites of the attack — but changed his plans at the last minute.
“I had booked a room at the Taj Hotel, but for some reason, I checked into another hotel. That decision probably saved my life,” Sarma recalled.
The chief minister said the horror of 26/11 still lingers in the minds of the nation, and bringing perpetrators like Rana to justice is not just about closure, but a reaffirmation of India’s resolve to fight terrorism.
What’s next for Rana?
Following his arrival in Delhi, Rana is expected to face trial under Indian law and will be produced before a special NIA court. The agency is expected to press charges based on evidence already collected from international intelligence agencies and Headley’s previous confessions.
With Rana now in Indian custody, officials say the case could serve as a precedent for extradition of other key fugitives wanted in terror cases, financial fraud, and organised crime.
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