MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Rubbishing the claims of Pakistan government that the lone surviving terrorist in the Mumbai terror attacks, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab, has died in police custody, the Maharashtra state Home Minister Jayant Patil said here yesterday that Qasab was very much alive and had recently been produced before a magistrate in the high security Arthur Road Prison.

Coming down heavily on the political leaders of Pakistan, Patil said, “Prior to making such irresponsible statement, the political leaders of the neighboring country needed to first obtain complete information about Qasab, who is in the custody of the Mumbai Crime Branch,” he said.

Patil said, “The Pakistan government is not interested in initiating any action against the terrorists involved in the Mumbai terror attack, therefore it was only creating a drama of doing investigations,” he alleged and added that Qasab was alive and that several offenses have been registered against him relating to the terror attacks. Pakistani politicians can come over here whenever they like and meet their man (Qasab).

Meanwhile, a senior Pakistani diplomat said the Mumbai attacks were not planned in Pakistan and suggested yesterday that India’s evidence linking Pakistan-based militants to the deadly siege could be fabricated.

The comments from Wajid Shamsul Hasan, Pakistan’s high commissioner to Britain, were the first from a senior Pakistani official since India handed over a dossier of evidence earlier this month that New Delhi said proved the November siege that left 179 dead had been plotted from Pakistan.

“Pakistani territory was not used so far as the investigators have made their conclusions,” Hasan told India’s NDTV news channel in an interview. “It could have been some other place.” India’s package of evidence included details from extensive interrogations of the lone surviving gunman and information gleaned from satellite phones used by the attackers, as well as details of weapons recovered and supplies used.

Pakistan has not yet officially responded to the dossier, but Hasan indicated that Pakistan did not accept the evidence. “Well, it could be fabricated,” he said. Referring to India, he added, “You took 45 days to give that sort of evidence although you started blaming Pakistan from day one.”

— With input from agencies