Rana’s extradition a big breakthrough, will reveal real plot of 26/11 attacks: Ajit Pawar

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday termed Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s extradition a major breakthrough and said it would help unravel the crucial details of the conspiracy behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

The 64-year-old Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, a key accused in the case, landed in Delhi in a special plane from Los Angeles Thursday evening. A special court subsequently remanded him in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for 18 days.

Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, and terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to carry out the three-day terror siege that killed 166 people.

Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pawar recalled being present in Mumbai during the 2008 attacks along with the then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and home minister R R Patil.

“After the operation, we visited all the attack sites. A probe was launched to identify the masterminds. Now that this man (Rana) has been extradited to India, it will come to light who were behind the attacks, on whose orders he acted and what their objective was,” Pawar said.

Pawar was here to pay tribute to Mahatma Phule at Phule Wada on the birth anniversary of the iconic social reformer.

Asked about the discontent expressed by senior OBC (Other Backward Class) leader and his NCP colleague Chhagan Bhujbal over the slow pace of Phule Wada’s expansion, Pawar said he has directed the Pune civic body to expedite the work and ensure land acquisition for the memorial.

“Bhujbal saheb won’t have to go on a hunger strike. The work will be completed,” he said.

Bhujbal, who has been vocal about not being nominated for the Rajya Sabha or given a ministerial berth in the state, had said on Thursday that since he holds no position in the government, he could sit on a fast to push for the expansion of the Phule memorial.

Referring to the death of a pregnant woman after she was allegedly denied admission at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune, Pawar said action will be taken once the third report on the matter is received by the state government.

Asked whether he had forgotten the protests he had led against rising fuel and LPG prices while in the opposition, Pawar said, “I haven’t forgotten. But global fuel price fluctuations are real. After Donald Trump came to power in the US. His tariff policies have affected the global economy.” Though there has been a hike of Rs 50 (per LPG cylinder), Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told oil companies not to increase prices and bear the difference themselves, he claimed.

“Since Home Minister Amit Shah is in the state, we will discuss the issue with him,” he added.