Espionage: Delhi police trying track 'money trail' from Pakistan to India

New Delhi: With the arrest of an alleged ISI operative and a serving BSF personnel, Delhi Police is now trying to track a money trail from Pakistan to India – routed through the Middle East -- to pay off spies operating in an suspected pan-India network.

Kafaitullah Khan alias Master Raja, an alleged handler of the Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO), running an espionage racket here backed by the spy outfit, had met another ISI-backed handler at Gujrawala in Pakistan in 2013, his last visit to the country, said an official privy to the probe.

During investigation, Khan told the police that his counterpart in Pakistan had promised him huge money for passing on secret and confidential information.

When Khan started doing so, he was put on a permanent pay roll and promised performance-based appraisals, said the official.

"Records obtained so far from bank accounts in Jammu and Rajouri district have revealed that Khan used to get a fixed pay of around Rs 20,000 per month through money transfers," the official said.

Almost all the money transfers received by Khan were routed either through UAE or through Saudi Arabia. Further investigation revealed that the money actually came from Pakistan, said the official.

However, these were transfers received only through the official banking channels. Khan could have received potentially high funds through private money transfer agencies or through illegal routes. Further interrogation is expected to provide the Crime Branch with more information on the money trail, said the official.

The police are also verifying reports alleging Khan's involvement in a human-organ trafficking racket at Jammu and Kashmir, said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav, adding that the police are currently clueless in connection with that matter.

So far, Khan has claimed that he was booked by the police twice for allegedly getting involved in fights during protests at Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir between 2013 and 14, said police.