Chidambaram Praises Rana Extradition in 26/11 Mumbai Attacks Case

New Delhi, April 11: Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram complimented the Union Government over the successful extradition of terror accused Tahawwur Rana and said that the process gathered pace during the UPA government regime.

Key Points

Tahawwur Rana extradited from USA after long legal battle

NIA places terror accused under 18-day custody

Chidambaram credits UPA-era diplomats for initial groundwork

Tahawwur Rana, who is among the main accused of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, was extradited to India from the USA on Thursday.

Chidambaram said that during his tenure in the UPA, then foreign minister Salman Khurshid and foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai played an important role in Tahawwur Rana's extradition process. Furthermore, the former Indian finance minister said that he does not take the BJP spokespersons seriously and is waiting for an official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.

"This process began in 2009 and then gathered pace in 2011 when US intelligence identified Rana... I compliment the external affairs ministry, the intelligence agencies, and the NIA for successfully bringing Rana back to India after a long and arduous battle... During my time at UPA, Minister Salman Khurshid and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai played important roles. I am sure in the present Modi government also, several foreign secretaries and ministers have played a role... I also thank the United States' then and present government", P Chidambaram said.

"I don't take the BJP spokesperson seriously. I am waiting for an official statement from the External Affairs or Home Ministry. I don't want to comment on the 'so-called' spokesperson", he added.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has placed Tahawwur Rana under 18-day custody. Investigators suspect that similar terror plots were devised for multiple cities across India. To piece together the full scope of the conspiracy, officials may take Rana to various locations, retracing events from 17 years ago.

According to the sources, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expanding its probe into the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, with plans to take Tahawwur Rana to various locations across India.

Reader Comments

Rahul K.

Finally some justice for the victims of 26/11! It's been a long wait but glad to see this extradition happen. Kudos to all involved across governments. 🇮🇳

Priya M.

Interesting how Chidambaram gives credit where it's due while also reminding people of UPA's role. Politics aside, this is a win for India's justice system.

Amit S.

While the extradition is good news, I wish politicians wouldn't use it for point scoring. The families of victims deserve closure, not political theater.

Sunita R.

The NIA is doing great work! Hope they uncover the full conspiracy now that Rana is here. This could be a breakthrough in understanding the 26/11 attacks better.

Vikram J.

Respect to Chidambaram for acknowledging the current government's efforts while mentioning past contributions. We need more such mature politics in our country.

Neha T.

The part about similar terror plots for other cities is chilling 😨 Hope the investigation leads to preventing future attacks. Stay vigilant, India!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:

Tahawwur Rana 26/11 Mumbai Attacks P Chidambaram Extradition NIA Terrorism