Indian spy seeks compensation from Centre

An Indian spy, who spent 12 years in a Pakistan jail and was released recently, has decided to move the court seeking compensation from the central government. Buttesingh Dharamsingh alias Darshanlal, a native of Jammu, was arrested in Pakistan in March 1997 and awarded a 25-year jail term on espionage charges.

However, he was released on June 30 this year. Darshanlal, who was in Rajkot to meet M K Paul, a human rights activist working for missing defence personnel, fishermen and spies languishing in Pakistan jails, claimed that he was sent to Pakistan by Indian intelligence agencies and visited the neighbouring country twice a month.

The spy claims to have visited Pakistan nearly 14 times before being apprehended. Since his arrest, Buttesingh's family members were not given a single penny by the security agencies, he alleged.

"I was being paid Rs 12,000-15,000 per visit. I was only 28 when I was arrested. Now at the age of 40, I have no job and it is difficult for me to get one at this age. Hence, I would urge the Union government to give me a permanent job and some interim compensation for maintenance till the court gives its verdict," Buttesingh demanded.

He said he was kept at Lahore and Sialkot jails and had shared the barrack with one Kuldeep Yadav who is serving a 25-year jail term in Pakistan. Paul told PTI that Buttesingh was sent to Pakistan by the Intelligence Bureau and it was its duty to monetarily compensate him for the services rendered to the nation.

The activist will soon file a petition on his behalf in the Delhi high court seeking compensation for Buttesingh.

Paul has so far filed 15 petitions in various courts in the country seeking compensation for families of those who are serving jail terms in Pakistan.

The Gujarat government has paid Rs 5 lakh as interim compensation to Yadav, who had been lodged in a Pakistani jail since the last 15 years, after a high court order.