Places, approximate dates, names, visits by Hafiz Saeed. On face of this evidence, how does a prosecutor say that I have no leads to investigation?' Chidambaram said.

On the identity of the 'major general saheb', Chidambaram said that it is not clear whether he was a serving or retired army officer.

To question whether it was just a nickname, he said: 'Very unlikely. A major general should be a major general somewhere.'

When asked if Hafiz Saeed's link to a person with connections to army refuted Pakistan's claims that the Mumbai attack was by non-state actors, Chidambaram said that could only be revealed by further investigation.

'We have never ruled out state actors even though Pakistan has said that only non-state actors were involved. We have not accepted this distinction between state and non-state because both operated from Pakistani soil,' he said.

The Pakistani refusal, he added, was inexplicable in light of their assurances to 'common friendly countries' and to the Indian Prime Minister that they will 'spare no effort to prosecute the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks'.

'In that context, letting off Hafiz Saeed is unacceptable,' said the minister.

Accepting that India was losing patience, Chidambaram said: 'After a point, it (sending dossiers) will be a charade. I just don't want to give them any quarter that answers are not forthcoming and therefore investigation is not starting.'