Pakistan espionage case: Samajwadi Party MP's aide arrested

Pakistan high commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar, expelled by India for spying, had named Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Munavvar Saleem's personal assistant Farhat as one of his "close associates" in the crime following which he was arrested.

Farhat was picked up from Saleem's residence on Friday night and detained. He was arrested on Saturday after prolonged questioning. This is the fourth arrest in the case.

Farhat was produced before a Delhi court which sent him to police custody for ten days for custodial interrogation till November 8.

"During Mehmood's questioning, Farhat Khan's name surfaced as one of his close associates in the espionage racket he was running along with names of some other Pakistan high commission staffers," said a senior police officer.

TV channels also aired a confessional video of Mehmood Akhtar in which he purportedly named Farhat besides others including Syed Farruq, Khadim Hussain, Shahid Iqbal and Iqbal Cheema, claiming that they were also "staffers". In the video, he also said he used to meet Farhat at Mandi House Metro Station.

A crime branch officer said Farhat's preliminary questioning has led to "certain revelations" that need to be further investigated. Names of several other people allegedly involved in the racket have cropped up.

Delhi Police is also trying to apprehend other members of the espionage ring who, it believes, were in close contact with Pakistan Mehmood Akhtar. The Pakistan high commission staffer was caught receiving secret documents here on October 26.

Two others, Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir, residents of Nagaur, Rajasthan, were held along with Akhtar. Another accused Shoaib was detained in Jodhpur and brought to Delhi by the police where he was arrested.

IMAGE: Pakistan high commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar.