China claims Indian diplomat not ill-treated

China today dismissed as “untrue” charges that an Indian diplomat was ill-treated at a court in Yiwu when he was trying to secure the release of two Indians kidnapped by Chinese traders and said police have launched action against five local suspects in the abduction case.

“Relevant reports saying that the Indian consular official was forbidden to take food and medicine and was besieged during his stay in Yiwu are not true,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing here.

Hong's remarks came when he was asked to comment on reports that Indian diplomat S Balachandran, a diabetic, was denied food and water, leading to his fainting at the court in the Chinese trade hub of Yiwu which he had visited to obtain the release of the two Indians -- Shyamsunder Agrewal and Deepak Raheja -- on December 31.

The two Indians, who complained of ill-treatment and torture ever since they were “kidnapped” on December 15, say they were merely employees of a company which owed money to its Chinese suppliers, and their employer has fled without clearing the dues.

“I want to stress that China is a country under the rule of law and it attaches great importance to China-India relations. Relevant departments have always maintained lawful rights and interest of the Indians in China in accordance with law,” Hong said.