Govt clears Pakistani panel's Mumbai visit to probe 26/11 attacks

Earlier, the Pakistani panel that visited Mumbai was denied permission to cross-examine witnesses

Government has given consent to Pakistani authorities probing the Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks to visit the country and cross-examine witnesses.

A dossier of related documents has also been sent by the Indian Government to the National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) of the Ministry of Interior.

An eight-member panel from Pakistan had visited Mumbai in April 2012 to cross-examine four key witnesses of the case but was denied permission, in accordance with Chief Justice's verdict in the Mumbai High Court.

According to the Express Tribune, anti-terrorism court on July 17, 2012 had declared that all the findings of a judicial commission that visited India were illegal and could not be made part of the evidence.

It was when a three-member commission from India comprising Additional Secretary and Chief Prosecutor General of the Mumbai attacks' case visited Pakistan in December, 2012 that it was agreed that the Pakistani panel will be allowed to cross-examine witnesses, the report added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Indian home ministry sent Pakistani authorities copies of the Bombay high court order and statements of the witnesses.