This startling disclosure came in an interview with Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-Chief, The Indian Express on NDTV’s Walk The Talk programme.

Asked where was the need for Jaswant Singh to go on that plane, Advani said it was a “side issue” and added, “After all, he thought there would be other diplomats also there. And he would be able to answer it best. But I have always said I was not happy with the decision...”

He said that the safety of passengers became the over-riding priority. “Yes, I was not happy with the decision but at the same time the lives of 160 passengers being at stake and the information that we got, which I have mentioned in my book, that they are likely to blow up the plane if government of India does not...”

So why did Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh have to go with the terrorists — a point that the UPA keeps harping on whenever the BJP accuses it of being soft on terror? “We’ve talked about it occasionally but I don’t want to say anything. Let let him say it, whatever he wants to say,” said Advani.

Asked if looking back he would say it was a wrong decision, Advani said, “I won’t say anything. I will only say that it would be fair for him to answer that question. Because this was not part of the decision. The decision was on whether they should be freed or not. And that was the joint decision of the Cabinet Committee on Security.”

To a specific question whether going on the plane was Jaswant Singh’s own decision, Advani said, “I wouldn’t say. I wouldn’t know that. He must have consulted Vajpayeeji. But that was not an issue at all... He was not escorting them, he was trying to bring back the passengers being held hostage. But I don’t think I am answerable for that. If the Cabinet Committee on Security had taken the decision, I would have been answerable, but it did not.”

Asked if he was not consulted on Jaswant Singh going on plane, Advani said, “I didn’t know about it.” Asked when he came to know that Jaswant Singh had gone on that plane, the former Home Minister said, “I came to know when he was going.” It didn’t raise a question in his mind then whether there was any need for it. “After all, passengers were to be brought back from there,” he said.

Advani said that he was “absolutely sure” that no money was paid for the release of terrorists. “Not at all. If there was any aspect of money, I would certainly come to know about it... If it was, whatever the source of the funds, I would have objected. I would have been shocked. I am absolutely sure no money was involved,” he said.