Chinese ’spies’ row: India says has transparent legal system
By IANSFriday, January 21, 2011
NEW DELHI - With China denying that three of its citizens who were arrested in India without valid travel documents were “spies”, New Delhi has conveyed that this country has a transparent judicial system and the security agencies will soon decide on the issue.
India has very well-established legal framework and procedures to deal with such cases, government sources said here.
The security agencies will decide on the issue, the sources said, adding that India has a transparent legal system for such cases.
The three Chinese nationals, including a woman, were held near the India-Nepal border for allegedly sneaking into Indian territory Jan 17 and taking pictures of vital installations, according to Indian paramilitary personnel. They were booked for illegally entering the country and under the Passport Act.
An Indian PAN card, two mobiles and a camera were recovered from them.
China has maintained that they were Chinese tourists who crossed over to India by mistake.
“The reports that three Chinese tourists were spies or had engaged in money laundering were groundless,” Xinhua news agency quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong as saying.
“The Chinese embassy in India is in touch with the Indian police and we urge the Indian side to properly handle the issue”, Hong said.
