Expelled Pakistani official named 16 other staffers in spy ring, say Indian officials
However, Mehmood Akhtar alleged he was threatened to read out the names given by Indian authorities, a Dawn report said.
Expelled Pakistani High Commission official Mehmood Akhtar, during his interrogation by the Delhi Police and intelligence agencies, had named 16 "staffers" involved in an alleged espionage network, PTI reported. Officials said Akhtar had disclosed that the Pakistani High Commission employees were communicating with spies collecting information about the Indian Army and Border Security Forces. On October 27, Akhtar was declared persona non-grata for indulging in espionage. He had claimed that an Indian Space Research Organisation official gave him "sensitive information".
A report by Pakistani daily Dawn, however, contradicts Indian officials' claims. Akhtar, now in Islamabad, said, “They [Indian officials] took me to a police station where I was forced to read out a written statement provided, which included the names of the four officers. I was told to state that they belonged to Pakistan’s intelligence services,” Dawn reported. Akhtar also claimed that Indian officials threatened to inject him with a heart-attack inducing substance if he didn't comply with their orders.
According to Dawn, Pakistan is considering withdrawing four of its officials from its High Commission office in India after New Delhi allegedly listed them as Inter-Services Intelligence personnel.
Indian officials said the authorities concerned are investigating the authenticity of the names listed by Akhtar. If found to be true, the Ministry of External Affairs will be asked to take up the matter. Two Crime Branch teams are currently investigating the case in Rajasthan with arrested accused – Maulana Ramzan, Subhash Jangir and Shoaib. Officials said two persons have been detained in connection with the case and that the involvement of retired officers is suspected.
Samajwadi Party leader Chaudhary Munabbar Saleem's aide Farhat Khan was arrested in connection with the case. Suspected spies Ramzan and Jangir were arrested for leaking documents to Akhtar, while visa agent Shoaib was detained in Jodhpur and arrested in Delhi. Relations between India and Pakistan have worsened since the militant attack on the Army's camp in Kashmir's Uri sector on September 18.
