In the latest development in the death sentence former Indian Navy officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav, by Pakistan, the Indian government on Thursday said it has no idea where he is or in what condition.
“We don’t know where he is now, or what his condition is. These facts cannot be ascertained. Nor has Pakistan shared these details with us,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay, calling the verdict of the Pakistani military court “indefensible, farcical and a violation of basic norms of law and justice”.
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The ministry also said it had no information on reports that India had captured a Pakistani army officer.
Jadhav, a retired navy officer, was arrested last year and accused by Pakistan of spying and subversive activities in Balochistan. India says he was kidnapped in Iran, where he ran a small business.
In parliament earlier this week, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said India would do ‘whatever it takes’ to bring Jadhav back.
“We are pursuing our options. There is a national sentiment on this issue, there is a national concern. We are engaged in achieving this objective to bring Kulbhushan back,” said Baglay, declining to specify.
“Jadhav is a kidnapped innocent Indian, who is a retired officer of the Indian navy and these two facts were communicated to Pakistan more than a year ago.”
Asked whether the Indian government believed that the civilian government in Pakistan was on board with its military court’s decision, the foreign ministry hinted that it believed Nawaz Sharif wasn’t entirely in the know.
The MEA spokesman said:
“I won’t comment on internal dynamics of Pakistan. But only a few months ago they said there was inconclusive evidence against Jadhav. They asked us for help in the investigation as pre-condition for consular access. Then suddenly this verdict came. We leave you to draw your own conclusions.”