Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], April 11 (ANI): Congress national spokesperson Atul Londhe Patil on Friday hit out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that only his party's government has managed to 'hang' people who are 'anti-nationals and criminals' by following legal procedures. He said that the BJP is ahead in 'only talking'.

'Bol bachangiri se kootneeti nahi chalti hai. BJP bol bachanpane aur badbolepan main hi gaya hai,' Patil told ANI.

He said that it was 'frivolousness' to politicise everything since Congress has not been 'soft' on terror.

'Those who say that we have been soft on terror - we gave death sentences to people. Is it being soft? Our country runs on the rule of law. Only Congress has managed to hang people who are anti-nationals and criminals by following proper legal procedures. It is chichorapan (frivolousness) to politicise everything,' Patil added.

He further credited the diplomatic efforts of people like Salman Khurshid and Nirupama Rao for bringing the terror accused Tahawwur Rana to justice in the US, which, he said, paved the way for his extradition to India.

Patil apprised that the US had given evidence against Rana for his involvement in the 26/11 terrorist attacks under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).

'The investigation on this matter concluded before 2013. Under the MLAT (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty), the US gave our officials proof against Tahawwur Rana. This case had substance because of that. Rana got punished in the US because of the diplomatic efforts made by people like Salman Khurshid and Nirupama Rao, which paved the way for him to be extradited here,' he added.

The United States Department of Justice has termed the extradition of convicted terrorist Tahawwur Hussain Rana as 'a critical step' toward seeking justice for the victims of the 26/11 heinous Mumbai terror attacks.

'Rana's extradition is a critical step toward seeking justice for the six Americans and scores of other victims who were killed in the heinous attacks,' the Department of Justice said in a statement dated April 10, 2025.

Rana, 64, a Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan was extradited to stand trial in India on 10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai the DoJ statement said.

He is charged with numerous offences, including conspiracy, murder, commission of a terrorist act, and forgery, related to his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks by Laskhar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), a designated terrorist organization.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) successfully secured the extradition of Rana after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice. According to the NIA, Rana was being held in judicial custody in the US pursuant to proceedings initiated under the India-US Extradition Treaty for his extradition. The extradition finally came through after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to stay the move.

Rana was brought to India late on April 10 and produced before a special NIA court which sent Rana to 18 days of NIA custody. (ANI)