Nepal hands over ISI agent to India after RDX haul
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: September 7, 2000
For the first time, Nepal on Tuesday extradited a Pakistani national to India after police recovered 35 kg of RDX from him and others in a hotel in Kathmandu. The Pakistani was identified as Mustaq ahas Safi. It was the biggest haul by the police in Nepal.
Meanwhile, in Lucknow, two former Army majors and two Nepali citizens were arrested today as the police busted an alleged spy ring accused of passing military secrets to Pakistan.
Coming as it does after intelligence agencies put tabs on a UP group, Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), there are signs that India is tightening the screws on all forms of militancy in this country, which the government believes is coming from across the border aimed at long-term destabilisation of this country.
Two SIMI activists arrested in Agra and Aligarh confessed to triggering blasts in the Sabarmati Express on August 14, in Kanpur and Lucknow.
Today's incidents once again focused attention on the vulnerability of the Terai region in western UP which has become a fertile ground for terrorists to infiltrate from Nepal into India.
Backed by the proliferating madarassas in the border districts, these areas have become a hotbed for terrorist activities.
Nepal's co-operation in vigilance matters has been enhanced after the recent visit of the Nepalese prime minister and India's strong message after the Kandahar hijacking.
In today's Lucknow arrests, to serving Army officers are suspected and police allege the secret documents were destined for a Pakistan embassy official in Nepal.
"Five agents were arrested red-handed exchanging military secrets to be handed over to a Pakistan embassy official in Katmandu", senior superintendent of police Arun Kumar said in Lucknow.
He said the two Nepalis, the two former Army majors, and a fifth, a civilian, were arrested early today at the Sharma Hotel in the heart of Lucknow.
"This organised espionage racket has a definite base at the state headquarters, with active involvement of serving Army officials", Mr Kumar said.
Further investigations are being made to establish which serving officers may have passed on military secrets, he said. Mr Kumar would not divulge the nature of documents he said former majors were passing to Nepalis but said the information could harm India's national interests.
In the Army, majors do not have access to top secrets but have information about troop strength and positions.
A Special Task Force in Uttar Pradesh had been watching the five men as they used fax machines, made phone calls from public booths and rented cars in the Lucknow area, Mr Kumar said.
The task force officers swooped in on the five at the hotel during the early hours today.
Mr Kumar identified the Nepalis as Shakir, a ward commissioner in Viratnagar for the Rashtriya Pajatantrik Party, a Nepali political party; and his associate, Naushad, alleged to be the contact man for the Pakistan embassy official. Many Nepalis use only one name.
Mr Kumar refused to name the Pakistan embassy official alleged to be an agent for the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence Agency but said it would be revealed later.
He said that Taj Mohammed Sheikh, a former Army major from Sangroor district in Punjab, who was court-martialled and dismissed in 95; and retired major Sant Ram Rai, of Mau, in Uttar Pradesh, were handing over documents when police raided the room.
Another Indian, Shamim Ahmed Khan, of Bhasti, alleged to be a handler or go-between, was also arrested, he said.
Mr Kumar would not say immediately on what charge Sheikh had been court-martialled.
He said the former majors were being paid $600 per transition.
"The Special Task Force worked the whole night to establish the links and identity of the arrested ISI agents", Mr Kumar said. "We are now working on a definite possibility of links with serving Army officials, who provide them sensitive military secrets. This operation would result in some more arrests in days to come."
The additional director-general of police, Ganeshwar Jha, told AP the task force had seized bank books and other documents showing huge investment by the accused.
"This is the biggest catch after we arrested a Bangladeshi origin ISI agent in Jhansi two months ago", Mr Jha said.
