Spy Jadhav’s mother, wife meet Indian FM upon return from Pakistan
The meeting with Swaraj was held a day after Jadhav’s mother and wife met him at Pakistan’s Foreign Office in Islamabad
December 26, 2017
NEW DELHI: The mother and wife of spy Kulbhushan Jadhav met with India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here on Tuesday.
The meeting with Swaraj was held a day after Jadhav’s mother Avanti Jadhav and wife Chetankul met him at Pakistan’s Foreign Office in Islamabad.
According to reports in the Indian media, the meeting was held at Swaraj’s residence following which Jadhav’s mother and wife were taken to the Ministry of External Affairs for a debriefing.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Dr Mohammad Faisal in a news conference after Jadhav had met his family said consular access had not been granted.
Elaborating on the meeting, Faisal said an Indian diplomat was present during the meeting but was not allowed to speak or listen in to the conversation between the convicted spy and his family, and could only observe the meeting.
"We upheld our promise and all of our commitments. The meeting was promised for 30 minutes and was extended to 40 minutes after Jhadav requested 10 minutes more, hence we increased it."
"The meeting was very present and they talked openly. I will not go into further details. We also had an officer present," added Faisal.
Faisal clarified that the meeting was not the last meeting between Jhadav and his family, adding that the decision for consular access to the convicted spy would be taken at a later date.
Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel, was arrested on March 3, 2016 in a ‘counter-intelligence operation’ from Mashkel area of Balochistan for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities in Pakistan.
The incarcerated RAW agent, in his video statement, confessed to involvement in sabotage and espionage inside Pakistan, which has also been the crux of Islamabad’s case in the ICJ.
On April 10, a Field General Court Martial — under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, and Official Secrets Act, 1923 — awarded death sentence to Jadhav for espionage and sabotage.
Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa ratified the sentencing by the army tribunal.
Jadhav has since been on the death row.
