Amritsar (Punjab): In the relentless drive to break the nexus of Pak ISI and traitorous persons, who supply classified information to compromise sovereignty, integrity and security of the state, the Punjab police has busted a cross-border espionage network. In an intelligence-led operation, State Special Operation Cell Amritsar arrested Zaffar Riaz of Kolkata and his associate Mohd Shamshad of Bihar, who are now living in a rented place in Mirakot Chowk in Amritsar.
During the preliminary investigations, it came to notice that in 2005, Zaffar got married to a Pak national Rabia of Lahore. Initially, Rabia stayed with him in Kolkata, but after his accident in 2012, his financial condition worsened and he shifted to Lahore. However, Zaffar frequently travelled to India on the pretext of his treatment.
During this period, he got in touch with a Pakistan Intelligence Officer (PIO) Awais, who claimed to be working in the FRRO office in Lahore. The accused was allured by the PIO to work for ISI as a result of which during his visits to India, the accused clicked photographs and videos of Indian Army buildings and vehicles and shared the same via encrypted apps. During a preliminary inspection of his mobile phone, those photographs and videos have been found.
During the interrogation, Zaffar further revealed that at the request of Awais, he introduced his old contact Mohd Shamshad to Awais. Shamshad revealed that he is living in Amritsar for the last 20 years and runs a lemonade cart opposite Amritsar railway station. He further said that on the request of Zaffar, he clicked and shared the photographs of the Air Force station and Cantt area of Amritsar with Zaffar multiple times, who further sent those photographs to Awais.
In this connection, a case FIR has been registered. Investigations are being conducted to assess the amount of damage caused by the accused. In the past also, the Punjab police have busted similar espionage networks. On October 26, 2021, one Mandeep Singh of Sirsa in Haryana, then working in a stone crusher near Pathankot Cantt was apprehended for sharing sensitive information with a PIO.
In this connection, a case was registered. Similarly, on October 24, 2021, a serving Indian Army person Krunal Kumar Baria of Gujrat was arrested for passing on highly sensitive and classified information about the Army to his Pak-based handlers. A case was registered in this regard. In the present case, Zaffar and Shamshad will be produced in the court for police remand. Further probe is going on to unearth the whole espionage network of the accused.
