Born in Sangli, Maharashtra on April 16, 1970 at Sangli (Maharashtra), Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested in the Pakistani province of Balochistan, on charges of terrorism and spying for Indian Intelligence agency RAW.
Indian Foreign ministry said “ He had been kidnapped from Iran” and his subsequent presence in Pakistan has never been explained credibly.
The Pakistan Government had claimed he was a serving officer ( Comander) in the Indian Navy and was involved in subversive activities inside Pakistan .He was arrested on 3/3/2016, during a counter intelligence operation in Balochistan. According to reports in Pakistani Media Jadhav joined National Defense Academy(NDA) in 1987, and was commissioned into the engineering branch of Indian Navy in 1991. He began by gathering intelligence and information within India after the 2001 Terrorist attack on the parliament. He was later formaly inducted into the intelligence operations. In 2003 he established a small business in Chabahar Iran from where he ran his network under cover and made many covert trips to Karachi and Balochistan. He was arrested on 3/3/2003, in Mashkel inside Balochistan near the border region of Chaman. It was also stated that Jadhav entered Chabahar with a visa stamped on a false passport in 2003. He got a new identity of Hussain Mubarak Patel. Pakistani officials say his task was to destabilize Pakistan by strengthening a new separatist movement in in Balochistan and Karachi. After adopting a false identity Jadhav worked as a scrap dealer in Gadani near Chabahar. Where he established a network of operatives and arranged to smuggle people into Pakistan for terrorist activities. He purchased boats in Chabahar port, and smuggled his operatives to Karachi and Gwadar ports. Baloch Home minister Sarfraz Bugti said that Jadhav was obviously working for RAW and was in close contact with separatists and militants fueling sectarian violence in the province and country. He was also involved in financially supporting the militants. Pakistani media also stated, that during sustained interrogation Jadhav had disclosed presence and location of other Indian intelligence operatives in Pakistan.
According to Indian Government Jadhav was recognized as a former Indian Naval officer but denied any current links with him and maintained that he took premature retirement, he was abducted from Iran by Mullah Omar Irani of Jaish-ul- Adl, from Sarbaz city and then handed over to the Pakistani Army.
He was sentenced to death by a field general court martial on 18/5/2017. On Indian Appeal the International court of justice stayed the execution pending the final judgement on the case. On 17/July 2019 The International court rejected India’s request for Jadhav’s release, and ordered Pakistan to suspend his execution. It ruled that Pakistan will have to review the entire process of trial and conviction in case of Jadhav. It also directed Pakistan to grant consular access to India.
Pakistan offered 3rd consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav on 17/7/2020, and also claimed that he was on Death row but had voluntarily refused to file a review petition. The Indians had demanded unimpeded unrestricted and unhindered access to Jadhav. After meeting him the diplomats had this to tell the media.” The former Indian Navy officer was visibly under stress, a few Pak officials with an intimidating demeanor were present in close proximity of Jadhav and consular officers despite the protests from our side. Indian ministry of External affairs expressed its displeasure over the arrangements made by Pakistan. Consular officers were further prevented from obtaining Jadhav’s written consent for arranging his legal representation it was also evident that all conversation between Jadhav and consular officers was being recorded.” Reacting sharply to Pakistan’s claim that Jadhav had himself refused to file a review petition and said it was continuation of a farce in play for the past 4years.” He was clearly coerced to refuse to file a review petition in his case.”
