Hamid Nehal Ansari, the software engineer who was freed by Pakistan on Tuesday after keeping him in jail for six years on alleged espionage charges met Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday and thanked her for securing his release.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted on Wednesday, “Indian national, Hamid Ansari returns home after six years of incarceration in Pakistan. EAM @SushmaSwaraj warmly welcomed him in Delhi today.”
The 33-year-old became emotional while talking about his jail term in Pakistan, officials said.
Ansari thanked Sushma Swaraj, she in turn told him that he had faced a difficult time.
Sushma Swaraj hugged Fauzia as she comforted the sobbing mother.
Fauzia said, Mera Bharat mahaan, meri madam mahaan, sab madam ne hi kiya hai (My India is great, madam is great, madam did everything).”
Pakistan had alleged that Ansari was an “Indian spy” who illegally entered the country, and accused him of involvement in anti-state crimes, forging documents, and jailed him.
For the family of Ansari, it was an ordeal since November 2012 when Ansari left the country for Kabul for employment and then was reported “missing”.
Reports said, he became friendly with a Pakistani girl on social media and reached Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to save her from a forced marriage.
Ansari on November 12, 2012, crossed over from Afghanistan border in Jalalabad to Peshawar in Pakistan where he was arrested by Pakistan intelligence.
A military court later, sentenced him to three years in jail. Despite his three-year jail term having ended, he was kept in prison.
