Fear Kulbhushan Jadhav has been tortured, killed in Pakistan: BJP MP and former Home Secretary RK Singh

BJP MP and former home secretary RK Singh said that it is a possibility that Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court, is no more.

BJP MP and former home secretary RK Singh said it is quite possible that Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on charges of espionage, is already dead.

"Pakistan must have tortured and murdered Kulbhushan Jadhav and now Pakistan is making all this trial story to cover its sham," said RK Singh, the MP from Arrah. "If not, then Pakistan must give us consular access," he said, adding that India sought consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav at least 13 times.

India's repeated requests for consular access to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav were turned down by Pakistan, the former home secretary said. "It is a possibility that Kulbhushan Jadhav is no more" he said.

He demanded that the Indian government takes note of this concern and immediately ask Pakistan again for consular access to "ensure he (Kulbhushan Jadhav) is fine".

"I am concerned. We should immediately seek Kulbhushan's consular access," RK Singh said. Given the current scenario, he said, "Tomorrow Pakistan might announce that they have executed the capital punishment and hung him (Kulbhushan Jadhav)."

NO EVIDENCE OF WRONGDOING, SAYS SUSHMA

Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, while speaking in Parliament today, warned Pakistan of dire consequences for sentencing Kulbhushan Jadhav to death. Stating the Narendra Modi government's stand on the issue, she said there was no evidence of wrongdoing against Kulbhushan Jadhav. 

"If anything, he (Kulbhushan Jadhav) is the victim of a plan that seeks to cast aspersions on India to deflect international attention from Pakistan's well-known record of sponsoring and supporting terrorism," Sushma Swaraj told Parliament and called it an "act of premeditated murder".

CHARGES AGAINST KULBHUSHAN JADHAV 

A Pakistan military court on Monday sentenced Kulbhushan Jadhav to death for "for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan".

"The spy has been tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under Pakistan Army Act and awarded death sentence," the Pakistan military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested by Pakistan security officials from Balochistan in March last year.