Indian among 20 held in China for ‘terror’ link
China says Indian man currently detained in Ordos
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-07-16 03:26 GMT
New Delhi: India has sought consular access for an Indian who is among 20 foreigners arrested in northern China for suspected terror links even as the Indian embassy in Beijing received a note verbale from Chinese authorities in this regard.
Chinese authorities told the Indian embassy that the man had been detained by police on charges of violating Chinese criminal law dealing with suspected acts of organising, leading or participating in activities of a terrorist organisation, official sources said.
The man, Rajiv Mohan Kulshrestha, is currently in Ordos in Dongsheng district detention centre in Inner Mongolia, China. According to news agency reports, the man was initially placed under three days’ detention, which was subsequently extended till July 18.
The Indian embassy sought consular access for the Indian after it received a formal note verbale from the Entry and Exit Bureau of the local Inner Mongolia government, sources said, adding that an official from the embassy will be meeting the detained national as soon as consular access is granted.
According to news agency reports, the man was reportedly part of an excursion by a group associated with a religiously inspired African charity. The reason behind their arrest remains unclear but the tourists, including nine Britons and the Indian, detained at Ordos airport were linked to the South Africa-based charity Gift of the Givers, founded by Indian-origin Imtiaz Sooliman. The Indian embassy earlier had got in touch with the ministry of public security of China seeking more details on the case.