Kulbhushan Jadhav tortured, tutored by Pakistani, say family, friends

Mumbai: Reacting to the propaganda video released by the Pakistan foreign ministry, which shows Indian former navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is in Pakistani custody since March 2017 on charges related to alleged spying and terror, purportedly confessing to being an Indian spy, his Mumbai-based family members and friends said he was ‘coerced and tutored’ by his captors to say that in front of the camera.

Tulsidas Pawar, one of the closest friends of Jadhav said, “When I saw his face on December 25 in a video, I could not recognise him. I cannot believe what all he must be going through but I can assure one thing, whatever he is doing, he still has not given up on the hope that he will return to his country one day.”

Mr Pawar told this paper, “I am very sure that what Jadhav is saying in that video is being recorded under force, and he must be tortured. Why would he speak in the favour of the people who have kept him in captivity?”

Another close relative, who did not wished to be names told this paper, “That meeting on December 25 was a joke. Jadhav’s mother and wife were made to change clothes, and they were not even allowed to touch him.”

In the video that was released by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Jadhav said that he is being looked after very well in captivity and is happy that the Pakistani government let him meet his mother and wife on December 25. In the video, Jadhav added, “The Indian diplomat or the Indian person who had come along with my mother was shouting on (sic) my mother the moment she stepped out, he was yelling at her.”