Pakistan mission ‘spy’ asked to leave India in 48 hours
New Delhi: Reflecting the current Indo-Pak tensions, a staffer 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 and asked him to leave the country within 48 hours 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.
“The accused were involved in espionage activities for over a year-and-a-half. We were watching their activities for past six months. Akhtar is a kingpin of the spy ring,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) R S Yadav told a press conference.
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, MEA spokesperson said.
Basit strongly protested with the Indian Foreign Secretary the “detention and manhandling” of the Pak High Commission staffer in violation of 1961 Vienna Convention, according to Pakistan Foreign Office. The Pakistani envoy also denied the accusations as “false and unsubstantiated”.
Police said that Akhtar initially showed an Aadhar card in the name of Mehboob Rajput. “He claimed to be a resident of Chandni Chowk but after sustained interrogation, he revealed his real name Mehmood Akhtar, he is serving with Pakistan ISI said Yadav. .
This was verified through MEA and after confirmation and as per the due procedures, he was handed over to the PHC diplomats in presence of MEA representative,” Yadav said.
During interrogation, he said that he was posted in the Pakistan High Commission about two-and-a-half years and was working in visa section, according to police.
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.
“Since Akhtar was working in the visa department, it gave easy access to him to identify people who could work for him as spies”, a police officer said.
The other two arrested are residents of Rajasthan and identified as Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir. Another Jodhpur-based person identified as Shoaib will also be arrested soon for his involvement in the espionage ring, Yadav said. (PTI)
