No info if Pak filed case against JeM: Govt officials

A day after Pakistan announced crackdown on terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Home Ministry officials on Thursday said there is no information on whether a criminal case was registered against the group believed to be responsible for the Pathankot attack on January 1-2.

With regard to the proposal of Pakistani SIT to come to India for probe into the airbase attack, the officials said they can come to collect evidence while focussing on investigation into how the attack was hatched in the neighbouring country. The officials said since Pakistan has announced that several individuals belonging to the JeM have been apprehended, it should also disclose under which law it has started the probe or detained the suspects.

India has given to Pakistan information on certain mobile numbers that were used by the handlers of the six terrorists, who stormed the sensitive airbase in Punjab. There is no information on the identity of the owners of those numbers, they said.

Tapped conversations between the terrorists and their Pakistani handlers were also shared, they said, adding that the government in Pakistan should take the probe ahead by registering criminal case and taking custody of those who received the calls.

Pakistan has a legitimate right to seek more evidence, but first they have to act on the evidence already shared with them, the officials said.

As far as Pakistani SIT's visit to India is concerned, the officials said any evidence can be collected only under some law, but there is no information regarding the law under which it would like to collect proof by visiting the Pathankot airbase.

India has given specific leads under which specific detentions should be done, they said. 

A Pakistan PMO statement issued on Wednesday stated: "considerable progress has been made in the investigations being carried out against terrorist elements reportedly linked to the Pathankot incident. Based on initial investigations in Pakistan, and the information provided, several individuals belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad have been apprehended. The offices of the organisation are also being traced and sealed. Further investigations are underway." 

In the spirit of the cooperative approach, the statement said, it was also decided that in order to carry the process forward, additional information would be required for which the government of Pakistan is considering sending a SIT to Pathankot in consultation with government of India.