(L-R) Indian Lawyer Harish Salve, Dr V D Sharma and Deepak Mittal, Joint Secretaries, Indian Ministry of External Affairs are seen at the International Court of Justice during the final hearing of the Kulbhushan Jadhav case in The Hague, the Netherlands, February 18, 2019. (Source: REUTERS) (L-R) Indian Lawyer Harish Salve, Dr V D Sharma and Deepak Mittal, Joint Secretaries, Indian Ministry of External Affairs are seen at the International Court of Justice during the final hearing of the Kulbhushan Jadhav case in The Hague, the Netherlands, February 18, 2019. (Source: REUTERS)

Amid fresh tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pulwama terror attack, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Monday began the four-day public hearing in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. Harish Salve, presenting India’s arguments before the top court today at The Hague sought annulment of Jadhav’s conviction and a direction that he be released from custody.

“In the present case, review and reconsideration of the case would be inadequate. The relief should be in the form of a direction to set Jadhav free,” he asserted.

Following Salve’s submission, the sitting of the international court was adjourned for the day. It will resume tomorrow with Pakistan making its first round of arguments.

Explained: Kulbhushan Jadhav case at ICJ — Here’s what will happen today

Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan in 2016 on charges of espionage and sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan. While the Pakistan side claims that Jadhav is an Indian spy, New Delhi maintains that he is a retired Navy official who was kidnapped. The ICJ had ordered Pakistan to stay the execution till the adjudication of the case.