India pursuing release of 83 missing personnel: Centre
New Delhi: The Centre has told the Supreme Court that there are 83 missing defence personnel including 62 Prisoners of the War of 1965 and 1971 for whom India is seeking their release and repatriation from Pakistan through diplomatic and other available channels.
The government through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has filed an affidavit on a plea filed by the mother of an Army officer Captain Sanjit Bhattacharjee seeking direction to the Centre to take immediate steps through diplomatic channels for repatriation of her son, who is lodged in jail in Pakistan for over 24 years.
The plea said the petitioner had received information that Sanjit, who was commissioned as an officer of Gorkha Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army in August 1992, was lodged in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail.
The petitioner said that her family was informed in April 1997 that her son, who had gone for patrolling duty at night time on a joint border in Gujarat's Rann of Kutch, was apprehended by the Pakistan authorities while carrying out operation reconnaissance along the international borders on April 20.
The government in its affidavit attached the annexure of Note Verbale dated March 8, 2021, in which it referred to several Notes Verbales issued by the High Commission of India in Pakistan and the list of 83 missing Indian defence personnel requesting to look into their whereabouts, and for the early release and repatriation of missing Indian defence personnel.
As per the list, out of 83 missing defence personnel, four are Prisoners of War who went missing in 1965, and most are from the 1971 war. A total of 21 Defence personnel are missing from 1996 till 2010.
The Centre said in its affidavit, It is respectfully submitted that the government of India has been pursuing the case of Captain Sanjit Bhattacharjee regularly through diplomatic and other available channels .
It said, the High Commission of India in Islamabad has been regularly taking up the matter with the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs for ascertaining the whereabouts and early release and repatriation of missing defence personnel, believed to be in Pakistan's custody .
