Centre is already making efforts to secure Jadhav’s release, says HC
NEWDELHI: The Delhi high court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the steps being taken by the Centre to secure the release of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan earlier this month.
A bench of acting chief justice Gita Mittala and justice Anu Malhotra said the Indian government was making “every possible endeavour” to safeguard the life and liberty of Jadhav. “We have no doubt at all that the respondents (Centre) are best placed to take the decisions as also all appropriate steps to safeguard the life and liberty of the citizens of this country,” the bench said, as it dismissed the petition filed by social activist Rahul Sharma.
Jadhav was arrested by Pakistani authorities in March last year. The country has rejected over a dozen attempts by India for consular access to Jadhav.
Last week, Pakistan’s foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz publicly listed some of the specific charges against the former naval officer, which include “sponsored and directed IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and grenade attacks in Gwadar and Trubat” in Balochistan province.
Additional solicitor general Sanjay Jain said the government has reacted with “promptitude at the highest level” to secure Jadhav’s release. He said the Members of Parliament, cutting across party lines, were one with the government on the issue.
Jain sought dismissal of the petition, saying a plea on such sensitive matters, which are purely in the domain of governmental function and policy, was unwarranted. The court noted that due to the sensitive nature of the issue, it would be “inappropriate and impermissible to have a discussion thereon in an open court room, especially about the efforts of the government of India to secure justice for its citizens”.
Any revelation regarding the efforts being made by the government may prejudice their success or frustrate the steps in this regard, the bench said.
ADDITIONAL SOLICITOR GENERAL SANJAY JAIN SAID THE GOVT REACTED WITH ‘PROMPTITUDE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL’ TO SECURE THE RELEASE