ISI espionage racket smashed, BSF constable arrested

The Delhi Police Crime Branch has busted an espionage racket aided by Pakistan’s ISI and have arrested a handler of Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO) and one serving officer of the Border Security Force (BSF) with sensitive documents related to security forces and Air force operations.

“The accused have been identified as Kafaitullah Khan (44), a resident of J&K, and Abdul Rasheed, a head constable posted in the Intelligence Wing of BSF in J&K. Khan is the PIO handler, having contacts in various security agencies, through which he used to procure secret and confidential information detrimental to the country’s security,” said Ravindra Yadav, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch). They both have been arrested under the provisions of the Official Secrets Act.

Sources said: “The operation against the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) was being carried out from the last one year and a nationwide joint operation was being conducted by the Special Task Forces (STFs) in every state and the Delhi Police  Crime Branch. So far, around six ISI agents have been arrested in the past few months and around 20-25 more ISI agents are active in the armed forces.”

A highly-placed source in the J&K police said: “Many retired Army officers, who are allegedly part of the ISI and are luring serving Armymen to become double agents, are also under scanner. Not only this, these retired Army officers fix meetings with ISI agents in Kathmandu. They are rewarded with Nepalese and Indian currency notes for passing out crucial information related to the Indian government and security forces.”

On Sunday, three persons were also arrested by the Kolkata Police STF for allegedly spying for Pakistan. They were involved in helping one Md Ejaz, arrested from UP on Friday for allegedly working for the ISI. 

Speaking to Millennium Post, a senior BSF officer in J&K said: “Kafaitullah Khan was arrested from New Delhi Railway Station on November 26. He disclosed that his relative Abdul Rasheed used to provide him with crucial details about the deployment of Armed forces, specially the Air force. After identifying Rasheed as a BSF officer, the Delhi police contacted us and we detained him. He has been handed over to the Delhi Police.”

He added that raids were being conducted at Rasheed’s and Khan’s residences in Rajouri. A few documents, mobile phones and huge cash have been recovered from their houses, the officer said. “All evidences have been sealed and the Delhi Police have refused to share it with us,” he added.

In 2013, Khan had visited Pakistan, where he came in contact with an ISI agent and in lieu of monetary gains, he agreed to provide them with secret information of Indian forces. 

Khan made his sources in the Army and the BSF and they started passing out the information to the PIO. The information was passed through e-mail, whatsapp and viber.