Indian jailed in Pakistan moves apex court
July 7th, 2010 - 8:23 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, July 7 (IANS) The Supreme Court Wednesday asked Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium to take “instructions” from the central government on a petition filed by a Punjab resident seeking his release from a jail in Pakistan.
Petitioner Gopal Dass, who hails from Gurdaspur district of Punjab, has sought his release from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat central jail and return to India.
The apex court bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice T.S. Thakur initially asked the petitioner, who moved the court through his brother Anand Vir, to approach the Pakistani government.
However, the court’s directions to the solicitor general came after petitioner’s counsel Arvind Sharma said that they did approach the Pakistani government but the Indian authorities refused to do anything.
He told the court that the authorities refused to accept Dass as an Indian national.
Justice Thakur said that such a matter entirely rests on the state of diplomatic relations between two countries.
When the petitioner insisted for an early hearing of the case, the court said: “We have heard you. We will give a date.”
In July 1984, Dass was arrested by the Pakistani Rangers when he “mistakenly” crossed over. He stood trial and was sentenced to life imprisonment June 27, 1987.
In 2005, Dass completed his sentence of life imprisonment but is still languishing in a jail in Pakistan.
The Pakistan government decided to release him August 14, 2007 but the Indian government allegedly did not take any action in the matter.
The petitioner said his release was possible only through diplomatic channels.
He sought the court’s direction to the central government to take “immediate and necessary” steps for his release and repatriation from the Pakistani jail.
- Efforts on to free Indians from Pakistan jails, court told - Feb 07, 2011
- Indian returns home after 27 years in Pakistani prison (Second Lead) - Apr 07, 2011
- Prisoner released from Pakistan jail seeks relief - Jul 16, 2011
- Supreme Court urges Pakistan to release jailed Indian - Mar 14, 2011
- Family urges India to recognise Punjab man in Pakistan jail - Jul 15, 2010
- Pak releases Indian prisoner Gopal Dass - Apr 07, 2011
- Pakistan releases Indian national after 27 years - Apr 07, 2011
- Indian prisoner back from Pakistan jail after 27 years (Roundup) - Apr 08, 2011
- After 27 years, Gopal Dass comes home to corruption crusade - Apr 08, 2011
- Indian jailed in Pakistan to be freed Thursday - Apr 06, 2011
- Pakistan apex court not to seek release of prisoner in India - Jun 16, 2011
- Indian 'martyr' alive in Pakistan, family hopes for return - Apr 30, 2011
- Sarabjit to meet sister -- after 21 years - Jun 16, 2011
- Pakistani president pardons Indian jailed for 27 years - Mar 27, 2011
- Kin of Indian jailed in Pakistan await his release - Mar 27, 2011
Tags: apex court, arvind sharma, central government, central jail, court bench, diplomatic channels, diplomatic relations, gopal, indian authorities, indian government, life imprisonment, national justice, necessary steps, pakistan government, pakistani government, pakistani rangers, petitioner, return to india, solicitor general, thakur