Two more suspected agents of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were arrested from Mumbai, a day after Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested Aftab Ali from Faizabad on Wednesday.
The two suspected ISI agents — Altaf Qureshi and Javed Iqbal — were arrested in a joint operation by the anti-terrorism squads of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Qureshi was arrested late on Wednesday from south Mumbai's Masjid Bunder, while Iqbal was arrested from Agreepada on Thursday, UP ATS Inspector-General Aseem Arun said.
Ali was allegedly trained as a spy by ISI in Pakistan and was constantly in touch with officials from the Pakistan High Commission in India. Ali had also met an official from the High Commission, the identity of whom is still being verified.
Ali also kept a close watch on the movement of Indian Army troops in the area, especially Faizabad and Lucknow, and passed on the information about military activities to Pakistan High Commission and ISI.
Hawala operator Qureshi, who is alleged to have worked with ISI, and his aide Iqbal were arrested following Ali's interrogation. Qureshi had allegedly deposited money in Ali's bank account so that he could carry out espionage activities. Officials of the ATS have recovered a mobile phone and Rs 71.57 lakh in cash from Qureshi's residence in Mumbai. He was in the hawala business on the instructions of a man named Jawed Naviwala.
Iqbal told police that he would get instructions from Pakistan. He would also deposit money in Ali's account on the orders of Qureshi and was constantly in contact with ISI officials in Pakistan.
