Two sent to police custody in Pakistan espionage case
New Delhi: Pakistani High Commission officer Mahmood Akhtar, an ISI agent, in Delhi was detained and three Indian nationals were arrested on Thursday for espionage against India. The investigators have recovered sensitive defence documents on the deployments and strength of the Border Security Force and the Indian Army along the India-Pakistan border, especially in Gujarat and the Sir Creek area, from the accused. The accused were part of larger conspiracy against India where they were got information related to Indian Army and paramilitary forces and share it with ISI in Pakistan which later passed the information to banned terrorist organizations.
The investigators have been working to nab the accused for since December last year and so far has already arrested 15 people from across the country. With three more arrests, the elite unit of Delhi Police – Crime Branch – has busted the entire busted the espionage racket where direct involvement of Pakistan High Commission was found.
Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Yadav, who unearthed the entire espionage ring, has stated that around four to five more agents on Pakistan pay roll are absconding.
Mahmood Akhtar, the ISI agent, was detained and was interrogated at length and later was released as he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.
“Vital information and documents related to deployment of army and para military forces in Rajasthan and Gujarat having serious implications on national security have been recovered from their possession,” Yadav said.
The officer said that there were credible inputs since last about six months regarding involvement of certain individuals in anti-national activities where in Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO) through spies recruited by them are getting sensitive information related to Indian army and paramilitary forces deployments.
Looking into the gravity of the matter, the information was developed and key operatives, including Maulana Ramzan and Sohaib Nagaur, both residents of Rajasthan, involved in the network were identified. Maulana Ramzan and Sohaib were passing on secret information and documents in lieu of money to the Mahmood Akhtar, the ISI agent, based in Delhi
The officer said that they found that Maulana Ramzan, along with his associate, would come to Delhi on Wednesday between 9:00 am and 10:00 am at main gate of Delhi Zoo, to pass on the secret documents related to deployment of army and para military forces.
“We laid a trap and nabbed three persons, and accordingly, a case under appropriate sections of law was registered,” the officer said.
Hey were identified as Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir, both of Rajasthan and the ISI agent Mahmood Akhtar, who claimed himself as Mehboob Rajput, a resident of Chandani Chowk in Delhi and showed an Aadhar card having this identity.
During sustained interrogation, Mehmood Rajput broke down and revealed his actual name as . Mehmood Akhtar. He was carrying a forged Aadhar Card to assume an Indian identity. He is serving with Pak ISI and has got diplomatic immunity since he is posted in the Pakistan High Commission of Delhi.
“This was got verified through Ministry of External Affairs and after confirmation and as per the due procedures, he was handed over to the Pakistan High Commission diplomats in presence of MEA representative,” the officer said.
During interrogation, the Akhtar stated that that he was posted in Paksiatin mission in Delhi since 2013 and was working in visa section. He also disclosed that he is on deputation to Pak ISI since Jan 2013 and is a serving Hawaldar of 40 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan army and native of village Kahuta, district Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
The police recovered secret defence related maps and deployment charts of border areas, several lists having details of BSF serving and retired personnel, forged Aadhar Card and several visa related documents from Akhtar.
In the meantime, Maulana Ramzan stated that he a resident of Barmer in Rajasthan and about 25 years ago, he came to Nagaur in Rajasthan and started running a cut piece cloth shop in local market of Nagaur. Simultaneously, he started working as an Islamic preacher in a local mosque “Qureshiyon ki Masjid”. About one and half year ago, he came in contact with Sohaib, a resident o Jodhpur in Rajasthan, who was indulged in anti national activities.
Sohaib lured him to join him in collecting the vital information about the installations of army and para military forces in Gujarat and Rajasthan, since he was resident of border area and was familiar with the local residents and topography of the area.
He along with Sohaib met the Akhtar. The Pakistani ISI agent Akhtar induced Ramzan and Sohaib to provide secret documents related to vital defence installations in lieu of handsome amount. Ramzan further recruited local conduits, which included army and paramilitary forces personnel and started passing on documents to the PIO.
Further, Jangir told police that he is from is Nagaur in Rajasthan and is running a grocery shop, where he came in contact with Ramzan being a neighbour shopkeeper. Jangir was in heavy debt so he got lured by Ramzan into anti-national activities.
Late in the evening, the police arrested Sohaib from Rajasthan.