Kaithal youth questioned by NIA for alleged espionage
A joint team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Military Intelligence on Saturday reached Kaithal to interrogate Devender Singh, a 25-year-old postgraduate student from Mastgarh village, who is under arrest for allegedly spying for Pakistan.
SP Kaithal Astha Modi confirmed that the teams of NIA and Military Intelligence questioned Devender Singh in spying case. "We are investigating all the angles and verifying the facts," the SP added. Devender, a first-year MA Political Science student in Patiala, was initially arrested last Sunday after he posted photos on social media displaying illegal firearms, promoting gun culture. He was released on bail, but fresh investigation uncovered espionage links, leading to his re-arrest under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Official Secrets Act.
Sources said Devender had visited Pakistan in November 2024 through the Kartarpur Corridor, ostensibly for religious purposes. During this visit, he allegedly came into contact with a young Pakistani woman, who later introduced him to another individual. This man is believed to have recruited Devender for espionage, persuading him to collect sensitive military information from India.
Investigators have seized Devender’s phone and other electronic devices, with cyber experts now working to retrieve deleted data. His call logs, chats and bank transactions are under scrutiny to determine if he received financial incentives for passing on information.
On Saturday, Kaithal police took Devender to multiple locations, including Patiala, for further inquiry as part of the investigation.
