Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ridiculed Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut for his statement about 26/11 terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana, by saying that he never responds to statements made by “fools”.

Earlier, Raut had stated that Rana, who was extradited to India on Thursday, should be hanged immediately and claimed the government will do so during the Bihar elections scheduled later this year.

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“Rana should be immediately hanged but he will be hanged during the Bihar polls,” Raut had stated. Responding to this statement by Raut, Fadnavis said,”I don’t respond to fools, let them talk”.

Commenting on Rana’s extradition, Fadnavis said, “I am very pleased that Tahawwur Rana, the mastermind behind the Mumbai attacks, the one who orchestrated the conspiracy, has been successfully brought to India by the government. He will have to face our judicial system. We had this burden on our hearts that while we had hanged Kasab, the one behind the conspiracy was still at large. Now, thanks to Prime Minister Modi, we have been able to bring him to India,” Fadnavis said.

“The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating it, and we will provide any assistance required from the Mumbai police. If the NIA needs any help in their investigation, we will offer it,” Fadnavis said.

Sanjay Raut had stated earlier that there was a 16-year-old battle to bring Tahawwur Rana back to India and the effort was initiated during Congress rule.

“So no one should take the credit of bringing back Rana,” Raut had stated, adding that Rana must be hanged immediately instead of hanging him before the Bihar elections, scheduled later this year.

Raut had stated that Tahawwur Rana is not the first accused to be extradited to India and that in the past, 1993 serial blast accused Abu Salem too had been extradited to India.

Raut also demanded that economic fugitives like Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi must be extradited to India. He also demanded that Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was captured in 2016 and was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, must be brought back to India.