Spy' arrest in Kalimpong : STF checks if more members around

He has been booked under Sections 3A, 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, made with section 120B, of the Indian Penal Code. 

SNS, SILIGURI, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022 : The Kolkata Police's Special Task Force (STF) has activated its surveillance to see if some more persons are involved in espionage in the region. Its investigations will cover whether Peer Mohammad, a resident of Kalimpong who has been arrested, has accomplices and a network. 

Several persons have been arrested from Darjeeling district in the past few years for allegedly spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (IS!). 

The STF netted Mohammad on 23 September for allegedly transmitting sensitive information of vital army installations and troops movement in the region to Rawalpindi. He has been booked under Sections 3A, 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, made with section 120B, of the Indian Penal Code. 

"We are covering aspects of whether he has other persons associated in the spying network. Everything is looked upon very seriously. But anything cannot be shared in the interest of investigations," said an officer. 

Sources in the centraI and state intelligence agencies said it was suspected that there could be more such operatives actively spying and trying to get sensitive information in the region. 

"In the recent past, a significant number of ISI operatives have been arrested and defence documents and maps found from most of them. 

The region has immense importance, especially from a strategic point of view. It is located close to the international borders. 

Army establishments, Air Force stations are mainstays of defence here. It is always some elements who are snooping for other countries, compromising our national security," a source said. 

Intelligence information has suggested that ISI has long been trying to use Siliguri to increase its activities on the India-Nepal bottler, located close to the district. 

The Delhi crime branch had arrested a serving army man, Farid Khan, for his alleged connection with the ISI -linked espionage racket from Darjeeling district in 2015. 

Police had arrested five army men and residents of the district for allegedly stealing defence documents, including maps, details of installations in army cantonments in the region, while working for the ISI in May 2013. 

A Pakistani national and ISI agent Mohammed Dilshad and four of his associates collecting sensitive information on army installations were also caught by the police in Siliguri in 2002. 

A subsequent raid had led to the recovery of half a kg of RDX, grenade, arms, documents of army installations, and Pakistani contact numbers. 

Related News: https://kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.com/2022/09/one-person-arrested-from-kalimpong-isi.html