New Delhi/ Greater Noida: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) interrogated Pakistani woman, Seema Ghulam Haider, who sneaked into India to live with her PUBG partner, a Hindu man, on suspicion of espionage for the second day on Tuesday.
Seema's partner, Sachin with whom she is currently staying in Rabupura is also being questioned. On Monday, the ATS took Seema, Sachin and Sachin's father Netrapal to its Noida office for questioning. After a late-night session, the ATS dropped all three to Rabupura. However, on Tuesday morning, Seema and Sachin were taken to an undisclosed location for further questioning. Meanwhile, Seema's family has distanced themselves from the media.
Seema, a resident of Karachi in Pakistan and Sachin got acquainted with each other through an online gaming platform PUBG in 2019. Over time, their relationship evolved into love. Seema, along with her four children, allegedly traveled from Pakistan to Nepal via Dubai and subsequently entered India illegally from Nepal, finally settling in Rabupura. Seema claimed that her sole purpose of coming to India was to be with Sachin, with whom she was in love.
Even though Seema repeatedly asserted that her presence in India was solely motivated by love, her mannerisms and way of speaking raised suspicions of the Uttar Pradesh ATS.
Seema was arrested on July 4 for illegally entering into India. Ever since she was released on bail, the entire family, including Seema is under the ATS's scanner. The ATS conducted the first round of interrogations at Sachin's residence in Rabupura and later at the Noida ATS office.
The Uttar Pradesh ATS is currently seeking answers to several questions that have risen during their investigations. The major concern is Seema's proficiency in English and Hindi, despite reportedly only completing the fifth grade. The ATS finds her level of language skills and other aspects of her behavior suspicious, prompting further inquiries, officials said.
The ongoing investigation is primarily focused on the possibility of espionage. Seema's illegal entry into India from Pakistan along with the documents and mobile phones found in her possession, have intensified the suspicion of the officials.
The proximity of Rabupura to Jewar International Airport, which is set to become the largest international airport in the country, has added an extra layer of concern for the ATS officials. This apart, construction of paramilitary camps and air force stations near the airport has further intensified the suspicion over Seema's presence in Rabupura. Also, the Yamuna Expressway, which connects multiple cities, poses potential risks until the investigation is concluded.
Four mobile phones recovered from Seema upon her arrival in India have become crucial evidence in the investigation. Questions are being raised over the need for Seema to carry multiple devices especially considering her educational background. Notably, the mobile phone containing a Pakistani SIM card was found broken, while the other three remained intact. Her chats with Sachin have been deleted on one phone, raising further suspicions.
Another aspect that has drawn attention is the absence of any wedding photographs of the alleged marriage between Seema and Sachin at the Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal. Seema earlier claimed she got married to Sachin in Katmandu in March this year. Despite Seema's active presence on social media, where she regularly shares reels and updates, the lack of any photographic evidence of their wedding raises doubts about the authenticity of her claim. Thus the validity of their purported marriage at the Pashupatinath Temple remains a subject of investigation, officials added.
It is likely that the Uttar Pradesh ATS will require several more days to complete their questioning. Additionally, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) is reportedly considering conducting its own interrogation into the case.
