Speaking in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian Parliament), the Minister said : “When we pursued this matter, they have given us papers pertaining to the detentions of Shri Hafiz Saeed in 2002 and 2009. From the papers given to us, it is clear that the detentions of Shri Hafiz Saeed in the aforesaid cases were for other reasons and not for his role as a conspirator in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.”

Shindhe said : “Mr. Rehman Malik, Interior Minister of Pakistan has been telling us repeatedly that he had arrested Mr. Hafiz Saeed thrice and that on each occasion, he was let off by the courts for lack of evidence. We had been given to understand by the Interior Minister of Pakistan that Mr. Hafiz Saeed had been arrested on the charges of being a part of the conspiracy for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. During my talks with him, he stated that if we desire, he will give us the FIRs and the Judgements pertaining to the three occasions when Hafiz Saeed was arrested and let off by the courts.”

He said that he had pointed out to Malik that many of the real mastermind and conspirators as well as key participants in the Mumbai Terror Attacks had not yet been charge sheeted.
India’s investigation have shown that Hafiz Saeed was one of the Mastermind of the 26/11 attack conspiracy and Pakistan has yet to take effective action to charge him.

Sindhe said that he reiterated the value of the voice samples for establishing the identity of those who were audacious to be caught on tape while directing the attackers. I also emphasized the need to respond to the Letter Rogatories sent to Pakistan pursuant to the investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

As regards the Pakistan’s Judicial Commission’s visit to India to complete the “cross-examination” of the 4 witnesses, Sindhe had already conveyed India’s in principle approval and had also emphasized to the Pakistan side the need to ensure that the revised terms of Reference/agreement need to be worked out carefully in consultation with the senior Law Officers of both sides so that this time there are no legal lacunae. Accordingly, it was agreed that a team from India will visit Pakistan in this week to settle this document so that the Judicial Commission may come at the earliest.

Sindhe also took up the issue of non-compliance/ execution of long pending Red Notices against the absconders of the Mumbai Blast case of 1993 – in which more than 400 people were killed – being a blot on our bilateral cooperation in bringing fugitives from law to justice.

The D- Company operatives – led by Dawood Ibrahim still evade arrest. International community has now universally acknowledged the danger this criminal-terrorist groups poses. Recently, the US designated Dawood Ibrahim as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and another person of the same group as a Drug kingpin. Pakistan has to ensure full cooperation in the capture of these absconders in right earnest.

Sindhe had taken up the issue of of concerted attempts by terorrists to cross the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, violation of ceasefire, terrorists camps in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir remaining intact, production of fake Indian currency in Pakistan, drug smuggling, issue of missing Indian Defence personnel and PoWs, return of Indian fishermen’s boats and humanitarian treatment to fishermen crossing territorial waters inadvertently. Sindhe also commended the mercy petition by the family of Sarabjeet Singh, who has been imprisoned now for more than 20 years.