India asks for voice samples of JeM duo Masood & Rauf

India on Wednesday sought the voice samples of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf who are accused of masterminding the Pathankot airbase attack on January 2.

“We have asked for voice samples of JeM terror group chief Maulana Masood Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf as also the voice sample of Khayyam Baber (mother of terrorist Nasir killed during the Pathankot attack),” NIA Chief Sharad Kumar said. Nasir was said to have spoken to his mother during the attack.

The NIA also sought access to Azhar and Rauf and told the visiting team that till the time India’s request was pending with authorities in Islamabad, it would like the Pakistani JIT to question them about their role in the attack on the Pathankot air base and hand over their statement to the Indian agency.  

Earlier in the day, the Pakistan’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT) sought permission for recording the statements of witnesses including Punjab police officer Salvinder Singh, his friend, cook Madan Gopal, caretaker of a shrine the officer had visited in the run up to the attack, and officers who had carried out investigations earlier and prepared the seizure memo. It will begin recording the statements of the witnesses in the case from Thursday. The Pakistani team is scheduled to return on April 2.