11042025-TTC-01.qxd 4/11/2025 EU HALTS TARIFF TO MATCH TRUMP MOVE WORLD /thetribunechd 1:06 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 99 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 RAJNATH FOR INNOVATION IN MODERN COMBAT BACK PAGE friday | 11 april 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Extradited from US, key 26/1 terror plotter 1 Tahawwur Rana finally lands in NIA net Provided visa, logistical support to Lashkar operative Headley for 2008 Mumbai attacks THE PILGRIMAGE BEGINS Conspirator conquered Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 10 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana was extradited from the US and brought back to India on Thursday via a special chartered plane by a joint team of investigators. The 64year-old Canadian national of Pakistani origin is alleged to have provided logistical support, including a visa through his Chicago-based immigration firm, to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley (also known as Daood Gilani) ahead of the 2008 attacks. According to officials, Rana conspired with operatives of designated terrorist organisations LeT and Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI), along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to execute the devastating attacks that killed 166 persons and injured over 238. Rana landed in Delhi around 2:50 pm, where he was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and underwent a medical examination at the airport. The NIA confirmed Rana’s extradition after years of sustained efforts to continued on page 8 Dayan Krishnan, who led extradition battle, to head case 16 YEARS ON, LAW CATCHES UP JUNE 2008: David Headley begins reconnaissance missions in Mumbai for Lashkar-e-Toiba NOV 13-21: Rana visits Indian cities, including Mumbai NOV 26: 10 Pakistani terrorists attack Mumbai, killing 166 persons over 60 hours NOV 27: Ajmal Kasab, lone surviving terrorist, arrested OCT 27, 2009: FBI arrests Rana in the US; a few days later, coconspirator David Headley held while trying to flee US JAN 9, 2011: US court convicts Rana, sentences him to 14 years for supporting the LeT DEC 24: NIA files chargesheet and extradition request for Rana NOV 21, 2012: Kasab hanged in Pune’s Yerawada jail JAN 21, 2025: US Supreme Court declines Rana’s petition FEB 13: US approves extradition after Modi-Trump meeting FEB 27: Rana files emergency application before Justice Kagan (denied in March) APRIL 7: US Supreme Court denies final review petition APRIL 10: Rana extradited to India Tribune News Service Tahawwur Rana, the key conspirator in the Mumbai terror attacks, in NIA custody in New Delhi on Thursday after his extradition from the US. ANI BJP, CONG IN CREDIT WAR OVER TAHAWWUR’S EXTRADITION DELHI COURT RECEIVES 26/11 TRIAL RECORD BACK PAGE New Delhi, April 10 The government has set up a legal team comprising four top criminal lawyers to prosecute Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key conspirator in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The team will be led by senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, who represented India in Rana’s extradition case before US courts. He will be assisted by advocates Sanjeevi Sheshadri and Sridhar Kale. The Ministry of Home Affairs has also appointed advocate Narender Mann as Special Public Prosecutor for this high-profile case. Mann will represent the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in proceedings against Rana and co-accused David Headley before NIA special courts in Delhi and appellate courts. His appointment is for three years continued on page 8 Not just ~4 crore, Vinesh To uproot timber mafia, Punjab wants plot too from Hry plants tracking chips in khair trees Saini govt offered either of 2 to the Olympian Rajmeet Singh Chandigarh, April 10 how to proceed. On March 25, The Haryana Sports Depart- Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saiment has found itself in a dif- ni announced that the Cabinet ficult position after had decided to allow wrestler-turned-MLA Phogat — now a ConVinesh Phogat, gress MLA — to opt for despite being asked to one of the three benefits choose between Rs 4 offered to a silver medalcrore cash reward, a list, treating her as a speplot or a Group A job, cial case following her has sought both the Vinesh Phogat disqualification from cash and the plot. the Paris Olympics for The request has left the exceeding the weight limit. continued on page 8 authorities uncertain about Chandigarh, April 10 In a first such initiative in Punjab to curb illegal felling and tackle the timber mafia, the state Forest Department has started implanting radio frequency identification (RFID) chips in khair trees. The RFID technology uses radio waves to track objects or people without physical contact. Costing around Rs 2,500 each, the chips will provide real-time data on a tree’s Tribune News Service An RFID chip before being camouflaged in a khair tree. growth and any attempts at felling. The attached transmitter can also trace the movement of timber smuggled to different locations. The pilot project has been launched in the lower Shivalik hills of Mohali district along the border with Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The department has identified 15 vulnerable pockets along the Siswan-Baddi highway and in the areas of Mullanpur and Mirzapur. Over 200 chips have already been embedded in fully grown khair trees. Khair trees continued on page 8 c m y b Sikh devotees leave from Amritsar for Pakistan on Thursday to celebrate Baisakhi. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR CJI Bench to hear10 petitions challenging Waqf Act on April 16 Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 10 The Supreme Court will take up on April 16 as many as 10 petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act-2025 that came into force on April 8. The cause-list for cases listed for hearing on April 16 uploaded on the Supreme Court’s website showed 10 petitions, including those filed by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Arshad Madani. The other petitioners were RJD MP Manoj Jha and another, AAP MLA in Delhi Amanatullah Khan, Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama and another, Taiyyab Khan Salmani, Anjum Kadari, Mohammad Shafi and another, and Mohammad Fazalurrahim and another. The petitions are listed before a Bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice KV Viswanathan. Madani has urged the top court to stay the operation of the Waqf (Amendment) Act. As several opposition leaders and WHAT PETITIONERS CLAIM ■ Amendments are arbitrary, discriminatory and based on exclusion ■ Violate the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution ■ Clearly reveal the government’s intention to take complete control over the administration of Waqf ■ It’s an attempt to sideline Muslim minority from managing their own religious endowments Muslim organisations challenged the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act and sought a stay on the operation of the amendment, the Centre has already filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to pre-empt the possibility of any ex parte order staying the operation of the amended law. By filing a caveat in a court, a litigant urges the court to be heard before an order is passed on the petition filed by the other side. Passed by the Rajya Sabha during the wee hours of April 4 with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it, the Waqf Bill received President continued on page 8 Cricket to return to Olympics in 2028 after gap of 128 yrs NEW DELHI: Six cricket teams will battle for top honours when the sport returns to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games after a gap of 128 years. This was confirmed by the organisers on Wednesday. Cricket last featured at the Olympics in the 1900 edition of the Games in Paris, where a one-off, a two-day match between Great Britain and France, was held, which is now recognised as an unofficial Test. At Los Angeles 2028, cricket will be played in the T20 format. INSIDE Aftertruceviolation, India, Pak armies hold flag meeting JAMMU: In a significant move aimed at de-escalating mounting tensions along the Line of Control (LoC), the Indian and Pakistani armies held a brigade commander-level flag meeting on Thursday at the ChakanDa-Bagh crossing point in Poonch district. The meeting, led by Brigadier-level officers from both sides, focused on issues related to ceasefire violations, infiltration attempts and border management. INSIDE