Masood Azhar not held: India

Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, who masterminded the Pathankot attack, is not under arrest or detention of Pakistani authorities, contrary to reports, Indian security officials have said.

However, three of his junior functionaries are in custody but not for Pathankot attacks.

Indian officials have received intelligence inputs that no case has been registered against Azhar in the Pathankot attack though Pakistan has announced the formation of the Special Investigation Team.

Pakistan has also demanded that its investigators be allowed inside Pathankot airbase for probe into the case.

Indian officials are saying this could not be allowed at this point as Pakistan has to show that they have done something.

“Under what law we can allow them? Have they filed an FIR? The answer is no. Has their court acted? The answer is no,” a senior official said.

Sources said they believe that initial reports of Azhar being detained for the Pathankot incident were part of a propaganda unleashed by some Pakistani agencies. They pointed out that Azhar himself had taken to social media to deny that he was under arrest.

Pakistan has also not officially informed New Delhi about whether they have arrested Azhar. It has also not told India whether they have registered any case.

Indian officials said Pakistan has to name the individuals whom they have claimed to have detained.

New Delhi has made it public that the terrorists had spoken to their handlers in Pakistan and it has evidence.

Indian investigators has also claimed that Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf Asghar were among the masterminds behind the strike. According to them, the conspiracy was hatched in Lahore.

India has already handed over several evidences to Pakistan regarding the involvement of people in that country, including Azhar, through "proper channel". Sources said voice data has also been shared with Pakistan.