India on Thursday said it was confirming the identity of Sarabjit Singh, sentenced to death in Pakistan, on the basis of information given by him during consular access in Lahore jail earlier this week. "We are checking details. He (Sarabjit) has said he is so and so. That is being checked," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters while responding to a question.
"After consular access is the confirmation of identity," he said. Sarabjit has been sentenced to death by the Pakistan Supreme Court for his alleged involvement in 1990 bomb blasts.
Pakistan says he is Manjit Singh, an Indian spy but Sarabjit insists that his identity has been got wrong by the Pakistani authorities.
After an uproar in New Delhi, Pakistan gave consular access to him. Two officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad met Sarabjit on Tuesday in the high-security Kot Lakhpat Jail near Lahore.
"The officials met him, talked to him. He seemed to be in good health. The officials left some provisions for him. He said he is Sarabjit and gave letters to the officials, one for his wife and one for his sister," Sarna said giving details of the consular access. Asked whether the letters had reached their destination, he said he was not aware.
