India to do ‘whatever it takes’ to help ‘spy’: Kulbhushan Jadhav

News Hour:

India says it will do “whatever it takes” to ensure justice for a former navy officer sentenced to death in Pakistan on charges of spying.

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said Kulbhushan Jadhav was “kidnapped” and tried on “concocted charges”.

Mr Jadhav was arrested last year and convicted on Monday of “espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan”.

Shortly after his arrest, Islamabad released a video in which he was shown admitting involvement in spying.

India has always questioned the alleged confession, saying that it was extracted under duress, Reports BBC.

There are differing accounts of how and where Kulbhushan Jadhav was detained.

Pakistan says he was detained on 3 March 2016 in the restive Balochistan province, which has been hit by a separatist insurgency that Islamabad accuses India of backing. India says he was kidnapped by Pakistan while he was in Iran.

Speaking in the Indian parliament on Tuesday, Ms Swaraj described the death sentence as “an indefensible verdict” and warned Pakistan to “consider the consequences”.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh promised that the government would do “whatever it takes to make sure Mr Jadhav gets justice”.

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