Uttar Pradesh ATS Arrests Rampur Man Over Link With Pakistan's ISI, Shehzad Allegedly Funded Other Operatives Too

On Sunday (18 May), a man was apprehended by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police, on accusations of espionage for the intelligence agency of Pakistan and illicitly transporting goods across the border, Indian Express reported.

Authorities received a tip-off suggesting that a man employed at the India-Pakistan border was illicitly transporting goods, allegedly supported by a Pakistani agency. The informant also implicated him as a spy for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and accused him of participating in activities against national interests.

The police reported that after receiving a tip, they were able to locate and identify the man as Shehzad from the Tanda region in Rampur district of the state. Shehzad was apprehended in Moradabad on Sunday, as per the statement issued by the UP ATS.

According to the police, their investigation revealed that Shehzad had been covertly journeying between India and Pakistan for years. He illegally transported goods such as cosmetics, clothing, spices, and other items across the border. The police also claimed that these trips were used by Shehzad to serve the ISI, maintain constant contact with their operatives, and divulge classified information pertaining to India's security.

During an ongoing investigation, authorities discovered that Shehzad is suspected of providing funds to operatives residing in India, purportedly under directives from Pakistan's ISI. Furthermore, he is believed to be implicated in the recruitment of individuals from Rampur and other regions of UP, under the guise of smuggling operations, in order to facilitate their employment with the ISI in Pakistan.

According to the police, ISI agents' visas and travel documents were managed by Shehzad, who also allegedly provided Indian SIM cards to ISI operatives to assist in their espionage activities against India.