'Release Them Immediately'

What is the next step of GOI to try and get Mr. Jain and his colleague released from Indonesia? 

Well we have taken up the matter very strongly with the Indonesian Government both in New Delhi and in Jakarta. We have been having conversations even today. Just a few minute ago Shri Yashwant Sinha, our External Affairs Minister called up his counterpart in Indonesia Mr. Hasan Wirrayuda and conveyed to him very strongly that the two gentlemen should be released immediately.

Has the Government of Indonesia told us under what charges they were arrested?

Now this is a commercial dispute and that is the entire point of our taking this up in strong terms that commercial disputes have got commercial methods of being handled. There are arbitration clause and there is no reason whatsoever to hold them particularly in view of the fact that the Embassy has given guarantees to the Indonesian Government that if required for questioning they would be produced for questioning. But they should be released.

What did the Foreign Minister of Indonesia say?

I understand he assured us that he would do his best. I don’t have more details of the conversation.

Any indication of when they will released? 

We are trying our best and we are hopeful that this will happen fast. I may add that before the Foreign Minister spoke to the Indonesian counterpart, Secretary Mr. Abhyankar in the Ministry of External Affairs today again called in the Indonesian Ambassador and expressed our urgent concern that this case be resolved as soon as possible, that this sort of handling of Mr. Jain and his colleague is not in keeping with the close relationship that India and Indonesia have traditionally had. 

Was there any judiciary …. 

Obviously not; even a cursory glance at the facts will tell you that.   

Has the Indonesian Ambassador conveyed anything on behalf of his Government on this subject?

Well, I am sure all these demarches that have been made to the Indonesian side at the Ambassador level, at the Foreign Minister level and in Jakarta by our Charge d’ affaires to the Chief of Protocol are being taken cognizance of by the Indonesian authorities.