Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday rejected Pakistan's claim that 'something suspicious' was found in Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife's shoes, terming the allegation "an absurdity beyond measure", India Today reported.

While addressing the Rajya Sabha — the upper house of India's parliament — today, Swaraj said that it was "absurd to suggest there was a mystery chip or camera or recording device planted inside Kulbhushan's wife's shoes."

Earlier this week, Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) had explained that the shoes of the Indian spy's wife, Chetankul, had been confiscated on security grounds after "something metallic" was found in her shoe. The explanation had followed Indian accusations that the guest had been humiliated by Pakistani authorities who took away her shoes.

Swaraj today also reiterated claims that the trial conducted by Pakistan to convict Jadhav was "farcical" and that his mother and wife were humiliated by Pakistani authorities before and after their meeting with him.

The FO has already rejected these claims, saying: "If Indian concerns were serious, the guests or the Indian DHC [deputy high commissioner] should have raised them during the visit, with the media, which was readily available, but at a safe distance, as requested by India."

Saying Pakistan does not wish to indulge in a "meaningless battle of words", the FO spokesman had said it is a fact that Jadhav's mother "publicly thanked Pakistan for the humanitarian gesture", therefore "nothing more needs to be said."

Convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and wife had been allowed to meet him on "humanitarian grounds" by Pakistan 21 months after Jadhav's arrest and as a gesture of goodwill on Muhammad Ali Jinnah's birthday.

"We note with regret that the Pakistani side conducted the meeting in a manner which violated the letter and spirit of our understandings," India had complained in a statement hours after Jadhav's wife and mother met officials at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi following their visit, triggering a spat between the two neighbouring nuclear powers.

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