PIL in Delhi HC seeking ICJ’s intervention in Kulbhushan Jadhav matter [Read petition]

Today, a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Centre to approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the release of Kulbhushan Jadhav..Jadhav, an Indian national, was recently in the news when he was sentenced to death over allegations of espionage by a military court in Pakistan..The petitioner, Rahul Sharma, prayed to the court to specifically issue directions to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to approach the ICJ for providing consular access to Jadhav..He also prayed that the Government issue a protocol for the release of Indians abducted/ kidnapped in other countries..The petition states that the Pakistan military has failed to provide a fair trial to Jadhav, since he was not served a copy of the judgment passed by the Military Court, and he has not been given the right to representation..The move comes a day after Pakistan’s Army categorically ruled out consular access to Jadhav, despite the Indian government making a strong case for gaining access to the Indian prisoner on death row. Pakistan has denied India’s request for consular access to Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year..Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by the Field General Court Martial last week. Following the sentence, India has warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the execution is carried out..It has been reported that Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran, while he was on a business trip, and sold to the Pakistani authorities by fringe groups operating near the Iran-Pakistan border..However, Pakistani authorities claim that they arrested Jadhav in the Balochistan province, where he was embroiled in anti-Pakistan activities. They also take refuge in the confessional video of Jadhav, which is the bedrock of his conviction..The petition is likely to come up for hearing in the High Court tomorrow..Read the Petition:.Image taken from here.