'Not Heard From Pakistani Side On This,' MEA On Alleged Arrest Of Another Indian National For Spying

Police said Lakshman was arrested while entering the town from Balochistan province, the same province from where Pakistan claimed it arrested Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Raveesh Kumar, official spokesperson, MEA

New Delhi: An Indian national has been arrested on the charges of spying in the town of Dera Ghazi Khan from Rakhi Gaj area, Pakistani media claimed on Thursday. Quoting police of Punjab province, local media reported that they arrested an Indian national who admitted himself to be a spy. Spying is punishable by death in Pakistan. When asked about it during media interaction, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said : “We do not react to unverified media reports. We have not heard from the Pakistani side on this.” As per reports, the Punjab Police in Pakistan said the accused, identified as Raju Lakshman, was arrested on Wednesday from Rakhi Gaj area of Dera Ghazi Khan district, some 400-km from Lahore. He has been shifted to an undisclosed place for further investigation. Police said Lakshman was arrested while entering the town from Balochistan province, the same province from where Pakistan claimed it arrested Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav. The arrest is followed by Pakistan’s proposal of granting consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav on Friday. Jadhav, 49, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" in April 2017 following which India had moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking a stay on his death sentence and further remedies. The ICJ ordered Pakistan last month to undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay. (With inputs from agencies)