Govt will hang Tahawwur Rana during Bihar polls, claims Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. File pic

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) lawmaker Sanjay Raut has called for the immediate hanging of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, following his extradition to India on Thursday. Raut further claimed that the government would carry out the execution during the Bihar state elections later this year.

Raut also demanded that Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was captured in 2016 and was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, be brought back home. India has dismissed Pakistan's accusation as concocted.

According to New Delhi, Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan to stay his execution.

Speaking to PTI, Raut said: "Rana should be immediately hanged, but he will be hanged during the Bihar polls (scheduled later this year)."

He also stated that the battle to bring Rana to India had been ongoing for 16 years, starting during the Congress government's tenure. "So no one should take the credit of bringing back Rana," Raut added.

The Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament (MP) highlighted that Rana is not the first accused to be extradited to India, pointing to the extradition of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts accused Abu Salem as a precedent.

He also demanded the extradition of economic fugitives Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi to face justice in India, PTI reported.

'Tahawwur Rana should be sentenced to death in a crowded square in Mumbai'

Demanding the harshest punishment for Tahawwur Rana, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks accused must be executed in a public square in Mumbai as a deterrent to others with malicious intentions towards India.

"After a long wait of 16 years, he is being extradited to India… He should be sentenced to death in a crowded square in Mumbai so that people who look at India with evil intentions will be left shaken," Chaturvedi told ANI.

Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, is a key figure in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and has been extradited to India after a prolonged legal process. Chaturvedi also expressed hope that other masterminds of the attacks, such as Hafiz Saeed and David Headley, would be brought to India and face strict punishment.

"I am hopeful that Hafiz Saeed, David Headley will also be brought to India and will be given strict punishment," she added.

Rana was convicted in the US for aiding Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the attacks.

(With PTI and ANI inputs)