Espionage racket with ISI links busted in Jammu, Kolkata; BSF jawan among 5 held

The accused allegedly have traded secret and confidential information posing threat to national security, from the railway station at Jammu, the police said on Sunday.

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Delhi Police Sunday claimed to have busted an espionage racket with the arrest of a suspected ISI operative and a BSF head constable, saying they were held on charges of providing confidential information to a Pakistan intelligence operative. They are relatives, said police.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav said the accused were identified as Kafaitullah Khan alias Master Raja, 44, a resident of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir, and Border Security Force (BSF) head constable Abdul Rasheed, posted in the intelligence wing of of the force in the same district.

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Suspected Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) operative Khan’s younger brother is in the Indian Army, said sources. “After their arrest, investigators are looking for a retired army havildar. Investigators are also likely to get in touch with Khan’s brother,” added the sources.

Yadav said Khan used to be in touch with the Pakistan intelligence operative, and Rasheed was one of his prime sources. “The espionage racket run by them is supported by Pakistan’s ISI.” Yadav said the duo was arrested under 3/9 Official Secrets Act (OSA).

Police said the racket was busted following work done on the basis of a tip-off about anti-national activities sponsored by the Pakistan intelligence operative. “Khan had boarded a train from Jammu for Bhopal. He was apprehended from New Delhi Railway station and documents having implication on national security were recovered from his possession,” said Yadav.

Khan told police during questioning that he works as a library assistant at Higher Secondary School, Manjakote tehsil, Rajouri district. “In 2013, Khan had visited Pakistan and come in contact with an ISI agent. He agreed to share secret information on defence forces for money,” said Yadav. He added that Khan later activated his sources in the Indian Army and BSF, and some of them allegedly started passing him secret documents.

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Yadav added, “Khan was given specific tasks by the Pakistan intelligence operative, mainly concerned with the deployment of security forces and air force operations. He was going to Bhopal to allegedly recruit more persons for the racket. Khan had roped in Rasheed into the network, luring him with a share of the commission he received from ISI agents. Police raided Rasheed’s residence in Rajouri district and recovered more confidential documents.”

Explaining Khan’s mode of operation, Yadav said information was passed through email, WhatsApp and Viber networks.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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