Hamid Nehal Ansari was put in solitary confinement, girl he had gone to Pakistan for testified in his favour: MEA

Two days after Hamid Nehal Ansari returned to India, details of what he went through have emerged.

Hamid, along with his mother Fauzia, father Nehal, and journalist Jatin Desai, met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday in Delhi. Desai had played a key role in highlighting Hamid's plight.

Giving details of the meeting, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "He met EAM yesterday. EAM inquired from Hamid Nehal Ansari about his well being. He was being released after six years in a Pakistani jail. EAM did ask him how he landed in Pakistan. He did explain... What he said that he was in love with a girl and in pursuit of the girl he followed her and landed up in Pakistan. There he was arrested on being a spy."

The spokesperson added that "the girl for whom he had gone to Pakistan had testified in his favour, that he had come to meet her, but he was put in jail."

Hamid was also under pressure to sign papers that said he was a spy.

Remember, while announcing Hamid's release in a tweet, the spokesperson of Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs, Dr Mohammad Faisal, had called him a spy.

"#HamidNehalAnsari, an Indian spy who had illegally entered Pakistan and was involved in anti-state crimes and forging documents, is being released upon completion of his sentence and is being repatriated to India," Faisal had said.

WION spoke to Hamid after his release and asked him what he had had to endure in Pakistan.

"Can't give you the details but initially when I was arrested I lost all hopes that I will go home ever. I started praying for my parents, I started praying for my loved ones. But suddenly it was a miracle. Almighty gave this hope in me, don't worry, one day you will go back. Combined efforts paid," Hamid answered.

He also told WION that it was a "mistake" to go to Pakistan and his "intentions weren't against anyone. Not even a single person. My intention were to go there and rescue my friend. But the step or method I took was wrong. I accepted. I repent. I committed a mistake and I was punished for it."

Hamid arrived back in Mumbai, his hometown, on Thursday.