Daniel Gilani is the estranged half-brother of Headley

NEW DELHI: The government on Sunday strongly denied reports of 26/11 plotter Daniel Headley's half-brother attending Atal Bihari Vajpayee's funeral in the national capital or being a part of a courtesy meeting between Pakistan acting law minister and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.

The government's denial came in response to media reports claiming that Daniel Gilani, the estranged half-brother of Headley, attended the funeral of the former Indian Prime Minsiter as part of the Pakistan government's delegation.

"Gilani did not attend Vajpayee's funeral or the courtesy meeting of Pakistan acting law minister with Sushma Swaraj," well-placed government sources told TOI.

Sources said that Gilani was issued a visa after checking the terror blacklist, adding that there were no reports of his links to terrorism.

Sources added that he is a bona fide Pakistan civil servant and was the director to the caretaker law minister of Pakistan. "He has publicly disassociated himself from David Headley," they said.

According to media reports, David Headley was born through a relationship between his father and another US national.