Tahawwur Rana's extradition: Pratap Sarnaik demands death by hanging for 26/11 Mumbai attack accused

Maharashtra Minister Pratap Sarnaik has demanded death penalty for Tahawwur Rana. File pic

Maharashtra Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Friday demanded death by hanging for 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana who was arrested by the NIA on Thursday upon his extradition to India from the US, reported the ANI.

Sarnaik called for terror accused Tahawwur Rana be "hanged" till death at India-Pakistan border for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, stating that such a punishment would send a strong message to the neighboring country about the consequences of such acts.

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"Tahawwur Rana's case is being handled by the officer who was on duty during the 26/11 attacks. The officer, Sadanand Date, is the reason the world got an inside account of the terror attack. Everyone in India wants, just like Kasab was hanged, Tahawwur Rana should be hanged, too. He should be hanged at the India-Pakistan border so that Pakistan understands the consequences of doing something like this in India," Sarnaik told ANI.

Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the Mumbai 2008 attacks, was brought to India on a special flight on Thursday after his last-ditch attempt to evade extradition failed as the US Supreme Court justices rejected his application.

Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India was followed thereafter.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar expressed hope that Rana's interrogation would uncover key details about the planning of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

He said that the 26/11 accused Rana's interrogations could potentially reveal the mastermind behind the incident and expose the person who directed him to commit such an act.

Pawar said that Rana's extradition to India is extremely important for exposing those responsible and understanding the motives behind the devastating attack in Mumbai.

"During the 26/11 attacks, we all were in Mumbai, it was a very serious incident. We tried to find who was the exact mastermind behind the incident ... Now, we have caught this person (Tahawwur Rana), and he can reveal who is the real mastermind behind the incident, who directed him to commit such an act. After getting all this information, we can take further action," Pawar told reporters, as per the ANI.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal stated on Friday said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was established in response to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He emphasised that the central counter terrorism law enforcement agency was set up during the UPA government to address and prevent such incidents.

"Ever since the 26/11 terrorist attack happened in Mumbai and many were killed...it was necessary that those involved in the terrorist act must be punished by the law. I remember that NIA was established during UPA times. NIA registered a case in this incident on November 11, 2009, where the accused were David Headley and Tahawwur Rana," Sibal told reporters during a press conference, according to the ANI.

(With ANI inputs)