ISI spy ring: Probing case of ‘black sheep’ within force, says BSF

New Delhi: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday said it is probing the case of a “black sheep” within its ranks who was allegedly involved in a suspected espionage racket linked to Pakistani spy agency ISI.

The BSF said that it was also trying to ascertain what information the accused might have leaked.

Border Security Force (BSF) chief Devendra Kumar Pathak said that the arrested accused was a “low-level functionary” of the force and, hence, it was unlikely that he would have been in possession of classified information about the forces’ operation in border areas.

“It (BSF) is a large force and out of it, unfortunately, one person has turned out to be a black sheep. We have our measures (in place to check such incidents) and we will further strengthen the measures,” he said on the sidelines of the 50th Raising Day event of the paramilitary force.

He said that police interrogation of head constable Abdul Rasheed, posted in the intelligence wing in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, was on and it would be “premature” to comment on his motives and any possible associates within the force.

“After the interrogation, we will know what was his (Rasheed’s) level of involvement and what he leaked. “He is a low-level functionary, a head constable. Hence it is not possible that he may have possessed classified information unless there is someone else’s connivance,” he said.

Pathak said that BSF has ordered for a Court of Inquiry to bring out all the facts of the alleged illegal activities by the accused, who was himself working in the sensitive and secret snoop unit of the force called the ‘G wing’.

Officials said it is suspected that Rasheed was probably instrumental in supplying some information about the activity of army units deployed in the said border area.

But he may not have leaked much information about the border guarding forces’ activities and operations, they added.

Police had said that Rasheed was a relative of Kafaitullah Khan alias Master Raja, an alleged handler of the Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO), running an espionage racket here backed by ISI.

Both of them have been booked under provisions of the Official Secrets Act.