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A 14-year-old tweet from Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing the rounds on social media again—and it’s all because Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has finally been extradited from the U.S. to India.
The tweet goes back to 2011, when Modi was still Gujarat’s Chief Minister. He had slammed the UPA government at the time for what he saw as a failure in foreign policy after a U.S. court cleared Rana of being directly involved in the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.
“US declaring Tahawwur Rana innocent in Mumbai attack has disgraced the sovereignty of India & it is a major foreign policy setback,” Modi had posted on X (then Twitter).
US declaring Tahawwur Rana innocent in Mumbai attack has disgraced the sovereignty of India & it is a “major foreign policy setback”
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 10, 2011
Now, with Rana in Indian custody at last, that old tweet is suddenly trending—and many people are giving Modi credit for never giving up on the case.
“Modi hai toh mumkin hai” floods social media
Social media users have been quick to celebrate the moment, calling it a big win for Modi. The line “Modi hai toh mumkin hai” (If there’s Modi, it’s possible) has taken over the platform.
One user wrote, “A leader who walks the talk. Captain my captain.” Another said, “You did it sir!! Kudos and thank you!”
Many are calling it proof that Modi stuck to his word all these years and made sure Rana finally faced justice in India.
Rana arrives in Delhi after years of legal delays
Rana, who is a Canadian citizen originally from Pakistan, was flown to Delhi on Thursday night. His arrival marks the end of a long legal battle in the U.S., where he had been fighting extradition by claiming health issues and legal complications.
As soon as he landed, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested him and got 18 days of custody from a Delhi court. Investigators believe Rana played a big role behind the scenes in helping plan the 26/11 attacks.
How Rana helped Headley spy for Lashkar-e-Taiba
According to officials, Rana gave cover to David Coleman Headley, another accused in the case, who later turned approver. Headley admitted that Rana helped him run an immigration business, which gave him a fake reason to be in India.
With that cover, Headley moved around Mumbai freely and checked out potential targets for the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He visited places that would later be attacked—like:
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Taj Mahal Palace Hotel
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CST train station
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Chabad House
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Oberoi Trident
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Leopold Café
Rana also visited India himself in November 2008, just days before the attack. A 2023 chargesheet by Mumbai Police says he stayed at a hotel in Powai and discussed busy areas in South Mumbai with a man who is now a key witness.
Some of the places they spoke about ended up being among those targeted in the horrific three-day attack.
Why the U.S. didn’t convict him for 26/11
Back in 2011, Rana was found guilty in the U.S. for supporting a terror group. But the court there didn’t convict him for direct involvement in the Mumbai attacks, saying there wasn’t enough proof. That decision sparked a lot of anger in India—and led to Modi’s sharp tweet back then.
Rana was sentenced to 14 years but was released in 2020 on health grounds. After that, India pushed hard for his extradition. He was re-arrested, and after going through all his legal options in the U.S., he was finally sent back to India.
PM Modi’s U.S. visit may have helped move things forward
Rana’s extradition comes not long after PM Modi visited the United States last year. During that trip, former U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned that the process to send Rana to India was already in motion.
Many now believe Modi’s personal diplomacy played a role in getting the job done.
Now that Rana is in NIA custody, the investigation is expected to go deeper. Authorities want to learn more about his links with ‘Major Iqbal’, a suspected Pakistani intelligence officer, and his exact role in helping Headley pull off his missions in India.
