Espionage racket: BSF personnel sent to 7-day police custody

New Delhi, November 30

BSF head constable Abdul Rasheed, arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan's ISI, was today remanded in police custody till December 7 by a Delhi court even as investigators said they have to track the money trail and identify his possible accomplices in the force.

“Is there any involvement of any senior officers," Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal asked crime branch of Delhi Police during the hearing.

The police said, "Not yet. We are doing the probe. He (Rasheed) is required to be interrogated for ascertaining the money trail as well and the payments made to him for supply of documents."

Seeking seven-day remand of Rasheed, the police told the court that he was posted as a head constable at the BSF head quarters, intelligence wing at Jammu, and had access to secret documents which he was allegedly supplying to his associates.

“Rasheed was working at the intelligence unit of BSF headquarters at Jammu where each and every document was secret in nature and he was supplying the documents to his associates," the police said.

It alleged that he was involved in spying activities and several incriminating documents have been recovered from his house during the probe.

The police said he was required to be taken to various places in Jammu and Kashmir, including Rajouri district, and questioned to identify his associates.

While allowing the plea seeking remand of the accused, the court observed that the matter pertains to national security.

Besides Rasheed, Kafaitullah Khan alias Master Raja (44), a resident of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir, was intercepted and arrested in connection with the case at New Delhi railway station while he was on his way from Jammu to Bhopal on November 26.

Three suspected ISI agents were arrested in Kolkata yesterday in a separate case. They were Irshad Ansari (51), a contract labourer with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), his son Asfaq Ansari (23) and a relative Mohammed Jahangir.

Pak mission employee under scanner

Meanwhile, a Pakistan High Commission employee has come under the scanner of Delhi Police probing the espionage racket.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav said the person in Pakistan High Commission whom the ISI operative referred to is yet to be identified but sources said it appeared he was not in the rank of a diplomat. — PTI