Rajasthan's Anti-Terrorism Squad on Sunday arrested a former Army man for allegedly leaking confidential information pertaining to the Indian Army to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The accused, identified as Patwari Gordhan Singh, was first detained in Pokharan area of Jaisalmer by a joint team of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh ATS. He was arrested after interrogation by ATS and Rajasthan intelligence agency, PTI reported.
"He was arrested under Official Secrets Act after an FIR was lodged at Pokhran Police Station. He is being taken to Jaipur for intensive interrogation," The Times of India quoted Jodhpur zone Superintendent of Police (CID Border Intelligence) Santosh Chalke as saying.
The 58-year-old ex-Army man, who was working as a revenue official at Khetolai near Pokharan, was under the surveillance of the Rajasthan ATS for the last few months. The ATS arrested him after tracing his phone calls.
"Based on his telephonic intercepts he was picked up on suspicion of spying for Pakistan's ISI. We have seized several documents, which are not supposed to be in his possession," CNN-IBN quoted its sources as saying.
The seized documents contain a map detailing the Pokhran field firing range. Gordhan Singh is suspected to have leaked information about Indian Army's war exercise while allegedly spying for ISI for the last two years, according to TOI report.
ATS Rajasthan arrested ex-armyman near Pokhran yesterday, for allegedly spying for Pak ISI. pic.twitter.com/5m2soX0UU7
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 28, 2015
Gordhan Singh's alleged links with ISI was busted after the Uttar Pradesh ATS received information about some hawala transaction. After investigation, it was revealed that Gordhan Singh was receiving money through hawala from Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and other states.
"We have busted a spying racket arresting a person from Pokhran. This was done after a tip-off by ATS, Uttar Pradesh. Our teams along with the military intelligence worked together for the breakthrough," additional director general, ATS and SOG, Alok Tripathi said on Sunday, the daily reported.
On 9 December, Rajasthan CID arrested two suspected ISI agents in Rola village of Jodhpur.
In November, the Delhi Police arrested a BSF soldier and a retired Indian Army havildar for allegedly leaking information pertaining to India's national security to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Both were arrested in Jammu & Kashmir.
