Athawale seeks US intervention to secure Jadhav's release

The Republican Party of India (Athawale), an ally of BJP, today sought the US intervention to secure the release of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan.

RPI (A) President Ramdas Athawale slammed Pakistan over the death penalty awarded to the former Indian Navy officer and said it amounted to violation of his human rights.

"Charges against Jadhav are baseless. Awarding death sentence to him is a gross violation of his human rights," said Athawale, who is also a Union Minister.

Condemning the military court's verdict, the Rajya Sabha MP said Pakistan has been hostile towards India.

"The Pakistan government has been hostile towards India. We should take up the matter with the US and seek its intervention (to secure the release of Jadhav)," he said.

Jadhav, who hails from Mumbai, was "arrested" on March 3 last year by Pakistan security officials allegedly in Balochistan which, they said, he entered from Iran.

He was sentenced to death by a military court in a secret trial for alleged "espionage and sabotage activities" and Pakistan's army chief has approved his execution.

The Shiv Sena, another ally of the BJP, had earlier called for approaching the United Nations to get the 46-year- old ex-Navy officer released from Pakistan's custody.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)