Nainital: Uttrakhand High Court on Wednesday upheld the sentence of Pakistani national Abid Ali alias Ajit Singh accused of spying in India quoting that sufficient evidence has been found against him and he had misused the Passport Act.
The court made the decision while hearing a petition seeking the release of Abid. Court has also asked the government to take him into custody and to cancel his bail bond.
After the high court's decision police have nabbed Abid Ali who was absconded from his house.
On 19 December 2012, Haridwar CJM Court found Abid Ali guilty and sentenced him to seven years in jail and a fine of Rs 7,500.
The advocate representing Abid had filed an appeal before ADJ Haridwar against Haridwar CJM court's decision which was later heard by the ADJ in 2014. During the hearing in 2014, Additional District Judge II Haridwar had ordered the acquittal of Abid Ali.
The state government had moved the High Court challenging the lower court's decision. The government in its petition stated that the lower court has ordered the release of the Pakistani national without finding any concrete evidence and it should be quashed because there are many pieces of evidence available against the accused for spying. While hearing the case on September 22, a single bench of Justice Ravindra Maithani has ordered to maintain the sentence of the accused.
On 25 January 2010, Ganganahar police had arrested Abid Ali alias Asad Ali alias Ajit Singh resident of Lahore (Pakistan) under the Official Secret Act, Foreign Act and Passport Act. Maps of Meerut, Dehradun, Roorkee and other military bases were recovered from his possession. Police had also recovered a pen drive and many confidential information.
Read:Indian intelligence arrests suspected Pakistan spy
