Congress Credits UPA-Era Diplomacy for Extradition of 26/11 Accused Tahawwur Rana

New Delhi, April 10, 2025 — The Congress party on Thursday attributed the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, one of the key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, to what it described as “a decade-and-a-half of painstaking diplomatic, legal, and intelligence efforts” initiated during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s tenure.

In a detailed statement, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P. Chidambaram contended that the Narendra Modi-led government was attempting to take undue credit for the culmination of long-standing institutional efforts that began in 2009.

“I am glad that Tahawwur Hussain Rana, one of the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, was extradited to India on April 10, 2025,” Chidambaram said. “But the full story deserves to be told. While the Modi government is rushing to take credit for this development, the truth is far from their spin. This extradition is the culmination of a decade-and-a-half of painstaking diplomatic, legal, and intelligence efforts which were initiated, led, and sustained by the UPA government in close coordination with the United States.”

Chidambaram emphasized that the process began formally on November 11, 2009, when the National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case in New Delhi against David Coleman Headley, Tahawwur Rana, and others for their role in the 26/11 conspiracy. That same month, Canada’s then Foreign Minister publicly acknowledged cooperation with Indian agencies—a result, Chidambaram noted, of the UPA's foreign policy framework.

He further pointed out that Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, was arrested by the FBI in 2009 in Chicago for supporting a foiled Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) plot in Copenhagen. Though acquitted in 2011 of direct involvement in the 26/11 attacks, Rana was convicted on separate terrorism-related charges and sentenced to 14 years in prison.

“The UPA government publicly expressed its disappointment over his acquittal but remained committed to securing his extradition, keeping diplomatic channels active throughout his incarceration,” Chidambaram stated.

He also dismissed the narrative that the Modi government had played a pivotal role in the extradition, asserting that the process was well underway before the BJP came to power.

“Let the facts be clear: the Modi government did not initiate this process, nor did it secure any new breakthrough. It merely benefitted from the mature, consistent, and strategic diplomacy begun under the UPA. This extradition is not the result of any grandstanding; it is a testament to what the Indian state can achieve when diplomacy, law enforcement, and international cooperation are pursued sincerely and without any kind of chest-thumping,” he said.

Rana’s extradition follows the dismissal of his final appeal by the U.S. Supreme Court, effectively clearing the path for his transfer to Indian custody. Upon arrival in Delhi, he is expected to be held at Tihar Jail pending further legal proceedings.

Rana is known to have had close ties with David Coleman Headley (a.k.a. Daood Gilani), the U.S. national who was a principal conspirator in the Mumbai attacks that claimed 166 lives. Until now, Ajmal Kasab, the only LeT attacker captured alive during the 2008 siege, has been the sole individual prosecuted in India in connection with the carnage.

The extradition marks a significant milestone in India’s pursuit of justice for one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in its history and has sparked fresh debate over the continuity of institutional efforts across successive governments.