NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday welcomed the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana from the United States to India but cautioned the BJP-led central government against politicising the development for credit or electoral gains.
Raut said while bringing a terrorist like Rana, who has direct links with Pakistan-based terror outfits, to India is a major achievement for the country’s investigative agencies and the government, it should not be turned into a publicity campaign.
“This is a terrorist who was directly involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Bringing him from the US to India is a big success, and we appreciate the efforts of our agencies and the Government of India. But I object to the attitude of the BJP — are you bringing him here to prosecute him and ensure justice or just to take credit by saying ‘we brought him, we brought him’?” Raut said.
Taking a swipe at the ruling party, Raut remarked, “It seems now you want to hold a ‘Rana festival’. Don’t do that. We know politics is being played over this.”
He also pointed out that the process to bring Rana to India had been underway since 2009, involving years of legal proceedings, investigations, and diplomatic efforts across multiple governments.
“The case against Rana didn’t start yesterday. In 2009, India began action against him. Later, Indian officials including the then Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid held discussions with US authorities. After years of efforts, we have managed to bring him back in 2025,” Raut said.
He further emphasised that India, like any other country, has to follow international legal procedures during extradition, including respecting the laws of the country from where an accused is being brought.
“We cannot bypass US laws. Their law says a person extradited from there cannot be given a death sentence unless permitted. So we have to follow due process. Bringing Rana to India is good, but don’t turn it into a political spectacle,” he said.
Raut also alleged that the government may try to fast-track proceedings against Rana to create a political narrative ahead of the Bihar elections.
“We have full faith in our agencies and the judiciary, but it seems before the Bihar elections, they will try to hang Rana and use it for political mileage across the country,” he claimed.