New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday
slammed the government for not taking steps for bringing back
an Indian prisoner languishing in Pakistani jail for the last
twenty two years on charges of spying.
The apex court said no steps have been taken to get
back the victim despite Pakistan agreeing to free him in
August 2007.
"They (Pakistan) want to release somebody but the
government is not doing anything. Government is not coming
forward," a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan
said and asked the Attorney General G E Vahanvati to apprise
about the situation.
Gopal Dass, in his 60s and now lodged in Lahore
Central Jail, submitted he was arrested in Pakistan for
inadvertently crossing the border and was sentenced to
life imprisonment in 1986, which he completed in 2005.
Realising the gravity of the situation, Vahanvati
said "I am not getting consular access".
"To accept him and to have access to him, there is a
need for consular access," he told the Bench also comprising
Justices P Sathasivam and J M Panchal.
Dass` petition, filed through his Gurdaspur-based
brother Anand Vir in February 2008, contended that his release
could be secured only through diplomatic channels but the
Centre was not taking any step for that due to which he was
still languishing in the jail even after completing life
sentence.
"Government of Pakistan had decided to release him on
August 14 (Pakistan`s Independence Day) 2007 but the
government of India did not take any action for his release
and he continues to languish there as his release could be
possible only through diplomatic channels," advocate Saurav
Mishra submitted.
"Despite various representations given to authorities
on behalf of the petitioner, he had not received any reply or
response," he had pointed out.
Dass submitted he was arrested by the Pakistan
Rangers while inadvertently crossing over to Pakistan in July
1984.
Dass was then tried in an army court and was sentenced
to life imprisonment on June 30, 1986. His family had then
approached the government against his alleged illegal
conviction but the authorities refused to interfere in the
matter.
Bureau Report
