This Pakistani spy is afraid to go back to his country, says he trusts Indian justice system more

India has warned Pakistan that bilateral ties would be hit if it went ahead with the death sentence awarded to Kulbhushan ​Jadhav, who Islamabad says was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016.

Pic courtsey: ANI

Bhopal: Pakistan stunned on Monday by awarding the death sentence to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav. However, in India, the Bhopal Police has been feeding and sheltering a Pakistani spy named Sajeed Muneer for almost a year after his release from jail.

Muneer was jailed for 12 years for espionage. However, after his release, Pakistan did not respond to extradition requests by the Indian Government.

By default, he became the Bhopal Police`s responsibility and the District Special Branch (DSB) has been taking care of him for 10 months now.

The DSB pays for his food and other necessities.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Superintendent of Police Rajesh Bhadoria said since the time of his conviction every angle is being discussed related to the issue but Pakistan is delaying the process of deporting.

"On June 4 last year, his conviction was completed and it was a 12-year conviction. In between the deporting process, he was kept in the detention centre, as those who are not from India they are kept in that centre," he said.

He added that police officials are in constant contact with the Pakistan embassy and the process of councilor access, where embassies of both the countries did the verification of Sajeed Muneer has been done.

"The Bhopal Police arrested him in May 2004 when he was collecting some official secret material from the Army regiment. That time he was impersonating himself as an Indian national. He has been current put in Shahjahanabad police station`s detention centre," Bhadoria said.

Investigations revealed that Muneer was lured by the ISI while he was on a hideout in a murder case.

He had murdered a Karachi youth to avenge his brother`s killing.

"Muneer is afraid to go back to Pakistan as he fears he might be killed there. He says he trusts Indian justice system more," said Bhadoria.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Tuesday justified the death sentence awarded to Jadhav and said it was capable of protecting itself against external threats.

Refuting Indian claims that the sentence was "premeditated murder", Defence Minister Khwaja Asif told the Senate that the law of the land had been applied and the trial of Jadhav went on for three months.

Jadhav has a right to appeal against his death sentence within 60 days according to the country's law. He can appeal for mercy to the Army Chief and failing that, to the President of Pakistan.

India has warned Pakistan that bilateral ties would be hit if it went ahead with the death sentence awarded to Jadhav, who Islamabad says was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016.

India denies he was a spy and says he was abducted from Iran.

(With Agency inputs)