Espionage: Four accused charged under Official Secrets Act

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Thursday told a court here that four out of five accused arrested for allegedly supplying sensitive documents to ISI operatives had received money from Pakistan's intelligence agency and charges under Official Secrets Act have been slapped against them.

The crime branch of Delhi Police told the court that accused Kafaitullah Khan alias Master Raja had received Rs 30,000 from the ISI while constable of J&K Light Infantry unit Fareed Ahmad had got Rs 10,000.

Similarly, arrested accused Munawwar Ahmad Mir, a former army personnel, had received Rs 40,000 while Mohd Sabar, a teacher by profession had got Rs 10,000 from the ISI operatives in lieu of supply of documents, the police said.

Besides these four accused, BSF head constable Abdul Rasheed was also produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal after expiry of their police remand and the court sent them to 14-days judicial custody after the investigating officer (IO) said they were not required for further custodial interrogation.

The IO told the court that they have recovered a CD containing conversations between these accused and their Pakistan-based handlers and it has been sent to the forensic science laboratory for examination.

The IO said that various incriminating documents have also been recovered from the possession of the accused and the police was examining all those materials.

Regarding the money transfer, the police said the accused were receiving from the ISI in their bank accounts and they have received the bank account statements of two accused from their Jammu-based respective branches.

During the hearing, the police also said that there were some other beneficiaries who were likely to be arrested in connection with the case. Earlier, these accused were remanded to police custody

after the investigators had said their custodial interrogation was required to unearth the entire conspiracy and the module through which they were supplying sensitive documents and information to ISI operatives.

Kafaitullah Khan was arrested in connection with the case at New Delhi Railway Station while he was on his way from Jammu to Bhopal on November 26.

Rasheed was arrested from Jammu on the basis of Khan's interrogation.

Farid was arrested from Darjeeling in West Bengal while Munawwar and Sabar were arrested from Jammu and Kashmir in connection with the case.