Espionage network busted in Amritsar, 2 held for spying for ISI

AMRITSAR: Punjab Police have busted a cross-border espionage network with the arrest of two persons from Amritsar on Wednesday.

The state special operation cell (SSOC) of the Punjab police nabbed Zaffar Riaz of Kolkata and his associate Mohd Shamshad of Bihar for allegedly providing information related to buildings of the Indian Army and Air Force to a Pakistanbased intelligence officer.

Police said Zaffar had shifted to Lahore in 2012 while Shamshad has been residing in Amritsar for the last 20 years. In a release, the police said during the preliminary investigation, it came to light that in 2005, Zaffar got married to a Pakistan national Rabia. Initially, Rabia stayed with him in Kolkata but after his accident in 2012, his financial condition deteriorated and on his in-laws’ request, he shifted to Lahore. Zaffar frequently travelled to India on the pretext of his treatment.

During this period, he got in touch with a Pakistan intelligence officer, Awais, who allured Zaffar to work for Pakistan intelligence agency ISI.

On his next visits to India, Zaffar started clicking photographs and taking videos of Indian Army buildings, vehicles etc. and shared the same via encrypted apps. Photographs and videos were found in his mobile phone, the police said. Zaffar said he also introduced his friend Shamshad to Awais. Shamshad runs a lemonade cart opposite Amritsar railway station. Shamshad admitted that he also clicked and shared photographs.

A case under Sections 3, 4, 5, 9 of the Official Secrets Act and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the SSOC Amritsar police station.