Indian website retracts story making shocking revelations about Kulbhushan

KARACHI: An Indian media outlet, The Quint, on Saturday retracted a news story that made shocking disclosures about convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The Quint took down the story quickly after its publication. The message on its website read: “The story on Kulbhushan Jadhav has been retracted. The Quint is rechecking some of the information mentioned in the article.”

Spokesperson for the Foreign Office Dr Muhammad Faisal reacting to the taking down of the story said, “Truth is stranger than fiction.”

Quint takes down its story. Truth is stranger than fiction. pic.twitter.com/bPW4CXhdvH

— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) January 6, 2018

Moreover, he claimed that as per some media reports the journalist who broke this story had either gone missing or into hiding. He was last spotted at Khan Market Delhi and since then his whereabouts were unknown.

Update as reported: Journalist Chandan Nandy who filed the story is “missing/gone in hiding”, was last spotted at Khan Market Delhi and since then has been untraceable for Family and friends. Freedom of press ?

— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) January 6, 2018

Earlier, the news report claimed that two former chiefs of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) were opposed to the recruitment of Kulbhushan Jadhav for operations in Pakistan.

Explaining the reason for their opposition to hiring services of Jadhav, the report claimed that he was “not a high-grade” operative with skills that other operatives recruited by the organization in other theatres had and used effectively to obtain intelligence.

Quoting sources, the journalist reported: “the proposal to hire him on a temporary basis was prepared by his case officer (of the rank of deputy secretary, who is way below in the hierarchy) on the Pakistan desk. One former RAW officer, however, said that it could be that the desk handling Iran and Afghanistan was instrumental in recruiting Jadhav.”

The report said the clearest evidence that Jadhav worked for the RAW came to the fore only after his cover – as a businessman who would frequent Iran, especially Chabahar – was blown and he was captured by the Pakistan, following which a former RAW chief, besides at least two other senior officers, called his Mumbai-based parents to “advise” them to not speak about their son’s case to anyone.

It claimed that Jadhav had also a second passport, with the name Hussein Mubarak Patel, that he carried and entered into a deal, signing as Hussein Mubarak Patel.

“Jadhav did work for the navy but prematurely retired and took to business, which would often take him to Iran.”

“He was spotted as a potential recruit by an undercover RAW officer posted in Iran, who then subsequently shared this with a colleague at the agency’s headquarters. This second officer subsequently moved to send overtures to Jadhav, who accepted the terms and conditions.”

How was Jadhav Caught?

The report said that Jadhav’s capture was based partly on his unprofessionalism and partly because he was not a “career spy.”

“He did the unthinkable – instead of waiting to communicate with his case officer face-to-face, Jadhav would sometimes use “means over the air waves.” The ISI intercepted some of the communications and were also able to pinpoint his location, making it relatively easy for them to track and then nab him,” it revealed.