Tahawwur Rana: Congress Tries to Take Extradition Credit, Says Modi Govt Reaping Our Hard Work Benefit

In a significant development in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case, Tahawwur Hussain Rana—a key accused—has been extradited from the United States to India. While the current government has highlighted this move as a diplomatic win, Congress has pushed back, stating that the credit for this long-awaited extradition lies with the groundwork laid during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.

The grand old party claims that the Modi government is reaping the benefits of “mature and strategic diplomacy” that began well over a decade ago under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Congress Claims Extradition Success Rooted in UPA-Era Strategy

Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram welcomed Tahawwur Rana’s extradition but stressed the need to understand its full timeline and history.

“I am happy that Tahawwur Hussain Rana, one of the prime accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, was extradited to India. However, it is crucial to tell the complete story. The extradition is the result of over a decade of hard, diligent, and strategic diplomacy that was initiated, led, and sustained by the UPA government, in coordination with the US,” Chidambaram said.

He criticised the BJP-led government for attempting to take full credit for the move and pointed out that such complex international actions are not achieved overnight.

2009: Case Registered Against Rana Under UPA Government

Tracing the origins of the extradition, Chidambaram pointed out that it was in 2009—under the Congress-led UPA government—that the first major steps were taken.

A case was officially registered in New Delhi against both Rana and David Coleman Headley, a co-conspirator in the 26/11 attack. That same year, the Canadian government agreed to intelligence cooperation with India—marking the first significant diplomatic breakthrough.

Arrest in Chicago but Legal Challenges Followed

Rana was arrested by the FBI in Chicago in 2009 for his role in planning an attack in Copenhagen. However, in 2011, a US court cleared him of direct involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

Despite this legal setback, Chidambaram said, the UPA government didn’t back down. The administration kept working through formal diplomatic channels and legal mechanisms.

That same year, a three-member NIA team went to the US to interrogate Headley. Under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), the US provided important evidence, which was included in the chargesheet filed by the NIA. Additionally, India issued non-bailable warrants against Rana and secured Interpol red notices.

“In 2012, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai made strong representations to US officials, urging them to expedite Rana and Headley’s extradition. This diplomatic pressure continued, with India’s Ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao, raising the issue repeatedly. This is an example of handling sensitive international matters with measured diplomacy, not grandstanding,” Chidambaram said.

Process Continued Even After Power Shift in 2014

Even after the BJP came to power in 2014, the diplomatic process did not pause, said Chidambaram.

In 2015, Headley offered to turn government witness, and in 2016, a Mumbai court granted him clemency to tighten the case against other terror accused.

By 2018, an NIA team had once again travelled to the US—this time to navigate legal barriers surrounding Tahawwur Rana’s extradition. In 2019, it became clear that Rana would finish his US sentence by 2023, bringing India closer to its goal.

BJP's Credit Claim Dismissed Over 2020 Developments

Chidambaram criticised the Modi government for claiming credit, especially after Rana’s release on health grounds in June 2020. He said India promptly filed for extradition, and the Biden administration supported the request.

“In May 2023, a US court upheld the extradition. Rana filed several petitions against the extradition, all of which were rejected, including one in the US Supreme Court,” he added.

By February 2025, Indian authorities confirmed that Tahawwur Rana had been actively involved in the 26/11 conspiracy since 2005. He had close ties with terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan’s ISI.

Eventually, on 8 April 2025, US authorities officially handed over Tahawwur Rana to Indian agencies. He landed in New Delhi on 10 April.

UPA Laid the Foundation, Not the Modi Government: Chidambaram

Wrapping up his remarks, Chidambaram made it clear that this achievement did not belong to the current administration.

“Let the facts be clear: The Modi government neither initiated this process nor secured any new breakthroughs. It has only leveraged the institutional framework built by the UPA, demonstrating that when India acts with seriousness, international cooperation can bring even the world’s most sophisticated criminals to justice,” he concluded.