New Delhi Asks for Voice Samples of Jaish Boss, Brother

His call was intercepted by the intelligence agencies and the data was subsequently shared with Pakistani investigators.
New Delhi Asks for Voice Samples of Jaish Boss, Brother

NEW DELHI: India has sought from Pakistan the voice samples of Pathankot mastermind and Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar, his brother Abdul Raoof and details related to a trust run by Azhar in Bahawalpur in the neighbouring country.

NIA chief Sharad Kumar said the agency has also asked the voice samples of Khayyam Baber, mother of Nasir, a terrorist killed during the operation by security forces in Pathankot. His call was intercepted by the intelligence agencies and the data was subsequently shared with Pakistani investigators. Sources said all four terrorists have been identified by the agency and their details have been shared with Pakistan’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

Meanwhile, the NIA also tried to allay the fears raised by various political parties that evidence collected by the JIT will not be admissible in Pakistani courts. Sources said material evidence was being shared by the NIA under legally laid down procedures after the JIT made a formal request. The agency clarified that the evidence was enough to nail JeM and its chief Masood Azhar and it will be admissible in Pakistani courts. “We were conveyed that Pakistan would require evidence under section 188 of their CrPC to produce it back in their courts. It is equivalent to India’s Letter Rogatory and empowers them to collect evidence of their nationals involved in terror activities in other countries. The NIA started handing over the evidence from Wednesday and it will continue tomorrow on (Thursday) or day after,” said the source.

The agency added that the results of the DNA testing of the killed terrorists have also been shared with the JIT. Sources said the NIA also shared call details of Ikagar Singh, the taxi driver who was killed by terrorists after infiltrating into India. 

JIT to Examine Salwinder, Aides

The NIA also handed over to the JIT the call records of Punjab SP Salwinder Singh’s friend Rajesh Verma. The JIT will record the statement of Salwinder, his friend Verma, cook Madan Gopal and caretaker of a shrine on Thursday through the NIA.

“We have handed over a list of what we need from them. We are in the process of handing over  papers which they have asked from us,” NIA chief Sharad Kumar said. NIA Inspector General Sanjeev Kumar Singh said Pakistan would allow an NIA team and will ensure similar access when they decide to visit the neighbouring country to collect evidence.

“What all we are doing in terms of cooperation to the JIT, the same would be done by them,” he said.

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