New Delhi: India on Friday said the extradition
of Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley to the country is
still possible as there are additional charges against him,
which are not part of the plea bargain he has entered into
with the US.
"If there are other offences, which are not covered
under the plea agreement, then of course extradition is still
possible," Home Secretary G K Pillai said when asked about
chances of India being able to get Headley`s extradition.
Asked whether he means to say that the country has more
proof to seek Headley`s extradition, Pillai replied in
affirmative.
"Oh yes. There are other charges, which do not come under
the 12 counts (on which he had pleaded guilty and which is
part of the plea agreement)," he said.
Pillai said India had "excellent cooperation" with US
agencies, who have been handling Headley.
"So far as this cooperation is concerned, we can`t really
complain except that we could not get access to him earlier...
now that a bargain plea has been entered we are hopeful that
we would get direct access to Headley," the home secretary
said.
Pillai had earlier said the Indian government will be
"satisfied" if Headley, who pleaded guilty in a US court to
his involvement in the Mumbai attacks, is awarded a life
sentence.
"The US Attorney General has advised a sentence of life
imprisonment. If he gets a sentence of life imprisonment, I
don`t think government of India will be unsatisfied," he said.
Pillai added other details like the terror suspect`s
accessibility for questioning by India, interrogation or
giving testimony have to be worked out in the coming weeks.
-PTI
