New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) Gopal Dass, an Indian who spent 28 years in a Pakistani jail, Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the government to compensate him for the mental torture he suffered as a consequence of what he called a task assigned to him by India's external intelligence agency.

The apex court bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice C.K. Prasad was told that the government was duty bound to ensure that the petitioner earned his livelihood and was compensated for the loss he suffered at the hands of Pakistani officials for working for the government of India.

Gopal Dass was arrested by Pakistani Rangers guarding its border in 1984 and was charged with engaging in espionage activities against Pakistan. He was awarded life imprisonment by a Pakistani military court in 1986.

He was released from the Pakistani jail April 7, after the apex court bench headed by Justice Katju appealed to Pakistani authorities to consider the prisoner's plea for remitting the remaining period of his sentence.

Appearing for Gopal Dass, counsel Arvind Kumar Sharma said that having spent the prime of his life in Pakistani jails, his client was entitled to some employment or compensation.

The court asked government counsel Ashok Bhan to seek instructions from officials and adjourned the matter for four weeks.