PAK PROBE TEAM QUIZZES SALWINDER
PATHANKOT ATTACK: SUSPENDED SP’S AIDES GRILLED TOO
NEW DELHI: In a major boost to the Indian team probing the Pathankot case, Pakistan has admitted the involvement of its people in the terror attack.
The Pakistani joint investigation team (JIT)’s written request to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for sharing of the evidence in the case was made under Section 188 of the Pakistani CrPC, which applies to Pakistani nationals who commit crime outside the country.
“The JIT submitted a written request to the NIA for sharing evidence in the Pathankot case, only then a process for providing the documents, witness statements and other information was started on Wednesday,” said a senior NIA official requesting anonymity.
The process of sharing evidence that began on Wednesday contin- ued on Thursday as well with the JIT examining 13 witnesses in the case including Punjab’s superintendent of police Salwinder Singh, his cook Madan Gopal and jeweler friend Rajesh Verma.
Singh, Gopal and Verma were travelling together in Punjab police official’s vehicle on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 when four attackers overpowered them and snatched their vehicle to reach the airbase. Eight persons including seven security personnel were killed in the attack.
A five-member JIT, including an officer of Pakistani spy agency ISI, has been in India for the last five days to interact with the NIA officials conducting the probe here.
“Examination of Salwinder happened in the presence of two officials each from the NIA and the JIT. Salwinder is being treated as witness in the case,” said another official of the NIA.