SC gives Centre 10 weeks to respond in Capt Kalia case
15 Dec 2012 6:47 AM IST
The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the central government on a petition of NK Kalia, father of Kargil martyr Capt Saurabh Kalia, who was reportedly captured as a prisoner of war but was killed in a gruesome manner in violation of the Geneva Convention.
Captain Kalia, posted with the 4 Jat Regiment (Infantry), and five other soldiers of his patrolling team were captured alive on 15 May 1999 and kept in captivity where they were tortured and their bodies mutilated.
A bench headed by Justice R M Lodha issued the notice and sought response of the government within ten weeks. NK Kalia has sought direction from the court to the government for raising the case of his son’s torture at the hands of Pakistan Army at International Court of Justice.
The bench, sympathising with Kalia’s agony, however, said that it would examine whether it can direct the government to raise this issue at the international forum before passing such an order. The bench also said that the central government is free to raise the issue on its own before any international forum.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who is on India visit, said on Capt Kalia: ‘I have not examined the case. It has recently come to my notice.I will be happy to meet the father of the boy, shake his hand and listen to what he has to say. We don’t know whether he was killed by Pakistan or the weather.’
Captain Kalia, posted with the 4 Jat Regiment (Infantry), and five other soldiers of his patrolling team were captured alive on 15 May 1999 and kept in captivity where they were tortured and their bodies mutilated.
A bench headed by Justice R M Lodha issued the notice and sought response of the government within ten weeks. NK Kalia has sought direction from the court to the government for raising the case of his son’s torture at the hands of Pakistan Army at International Court of Justice.
The bench, sympathising with Kalia’s agony, however, said that it would examine whether it can direct the government to raise this issue at the international forum before passing such an order. The bench also said that the central government is free to raise the issue on its own before any international forum.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who is on India visit, said on Capt Kalia: ‘I have not examined the case. It has recently come to my notice.I will be happy to meet the father of the boy, shake his hand and listen to what he has to say. We don’t know whether he was killed by Pakistan or the weather.’
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