NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi allegeadNational Security Adviser Ajit Doval played an important role in the 1999 release of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) head Masood Azhar. Now, the Central government has denied the allegations levelled on Doval.

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According to the sources, Doval had no role to play in the release of the terrorist following the hijack of the Indian Airlines Flight 814.  

The National Security officer Ajit Doval was a senior officer in the Intelligence Bureau in 1999. He led the four-member negotiating team to Kandahar to negotiate Azhar's release. Government sources say that Doval had, in fact, opposed the release of Azhar and the two other terrorists who were released with him.

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Congress President Rahul had on Sunday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Pulwama terror attack, and tweeted pictures of Doval accompanying the three terrorists who were released in Kandahar. The Tweet reads, "PM Modi please tell the families of our 40 CRPF Shaheeds (martyrs), who released their murderer, Masood Azhar? Also tell them that your current NSA was the deal maker, who went to Kandahar to hand the murderer back to Pakistan.”

Congress chief also made the accusation while addressing a public gathering in Karnataka's Haveri on Saturday. He said: "A few days ago, our soldiers were martyred in Pulwama. Who was responsible for Pulwama terror attack? Who sent Masood Azhar back to Pakistan? It was the BJP. Ajit Doval, who is the National Security Advisor for Prime Minister Modi led Central government, escorted head of JeM Azhar back to Pakistan. We are not like Narendra Modi. We don’t bow down to terrorists.”