Spy ring busted in Pak embassy, 1 staff told to leave India; others under lens
New Delhi: A staff member of the Pakistan High Commission, described as the kingpin of a spy ring working for ISI, was detained by police for alleged possession of sensitive defence documents and was immediately declared persona non-grata on Thursday.
The staffer Mehmood Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the High Commission and has diplomatic immunity, was procuring critical details from two other accomplices who have been arrested here, police said.
Akhtar was released after prolonged questioning because of his diplomatic immunity. He has been asked to return to Pakistan with his family by October 29, said MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup.
"The accused were involved in espionage activities for over a year-and-a-half. We were watching their activities for past six months. On a specific input, they were held yesterday. Akhtar is a kingpin of the spy ring," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) R S Yadav said at a press conference.
The Pakistani official showed this fake Aadhaar card to Delhi police. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)
He was caught by the police on Wednesday at the Delhi zoo, with two men who allegedly leaked to him sensitive information on the deployment of forces at the border.
Akhtar claimed he was an Indian citizen and also showed a fake Aadhaar card to the police. He claimed to be a resident of Chandni Chowk but after sustained interrogation, he revealed his real name Mehmood Akhtar.
During interrogation, Akhtar said that he was posted in the Pakistan High Commission here since about two-and-a-half years, said a police officer.
He said that he is on deputation to Pak ISI since January 2013 and is a serving Hawaldar of 40 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan army and native of village Kahuta, Rawalpindi district, added the officer.
There is likelihood of involvement of other persons as per the information elicited from him, which is being investigated, he said.
"Since Akhtar was working in the visa department, it gave easy access to him to identify people who could work for him as spies. People who were financially weak would be lured by promise of getting big money," said a senior police officer.
The officer said the honey trap angle was also being explored. "From initial investigation, it has been revealed that some girls were exploited after being promised good money and were used to lure men into the module. We are investigating this aspect," he added.
Shortly after the police disclosure, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar summoned Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit to his office and conveyed to him that Akhtar has been declared persona non-grata for espionage activities, Vikas Swarup, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said.
"FS (foreign secretary) summons Pak High Commissioner to convey that Pak High Commission staffer has been declared persona non-grata for espionage activities," foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said on Twitter.
However, Basit protested the expulsion, claiming that 'the detention and manhandling of Pakistan HC staffer yesterday was in violation of 1961 Vienna Convention'. He asked the Indian government to ensure that 'such harassment does not happen in future'.
Denying that the official was a Pakistani spy, Basit claimed that Pakistan High Commission 'never engages in activity that is incompatible with its diplomatic status.'
The Pakistani envoy also termed the accusations "false and unsubstantiated".
The Crime Branch also arrested two people, residents of Rajasthan, for allegedly passing on sensitive information to the staffer.
The two have been sent to police custody for 12 days following their arrest.
"The informers are residents of Rajasthan working for Pakistan's ISI. The spies were in touch with the staff here at Pakistan High Commission and were providing sensitive information," said a senior police officer.
Those arrested have been identified as Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir.
Defence deployment, BSF deployment maps and visa related documents were recovered from the two informers. Following this incident, more people are under scrutiny from the Pakistan High Commission.
