A PIL was filed in Delhi High Court today seeking International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) intervention in securing the released of Indian citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was recently sentenced to death in Pakistan over allegations that he had been sent India to spy on them.
The PIL seeks response from the Centre on exploring remedies via International Court of Justice for securing Kulbhushan Jadhav’s release.
The move comes a day after Pakistan’s Army ruled out consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav despite the Indian government making a strong case for gaining access to the Indian prisoner on death row. Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial last week.
Pakistan has denied India’s request for consular access to Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.
Recently, Indian high commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale met Pakistan foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua and demanded a certified copy of the chargesheet as well as the army court order in the Jadhav case, besides seeking consular access to the retired Indian navy officer.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had also issued a stern warning to Pakistan, cautioning them that they should keep in mind the consequences of carrying out the death sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav.
While making a statement in Rajya Sabha, Swaraj had said that the government would do all it can to ensure that Jadhav gets the required legal support to fight his case. “Our position is very clear, there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Kulbhushan Jadhav,” Swaraj said.
Pakistan claims its security forces had arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. It also claimed that he was “a serving officer in the Indian Navy.”
