Two held on charges of spying for ISI in Gujarat

Two people were arrested in Ahmedabad on Monday for allegedly passing on confidential information related to the Indian Army's base in Bhuj to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, said the police.

Sirajuddin Ali, 22, and Mohammad Ayub, 23, both residents of Jamalpur, have been charged with espionage. While Ali used to supply eggs to the army canteen, Ayub is a student, said the police.

"The Crime Branch police have registered a case and are probing the nature and quantity of information provided by the duo to ISI," Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, A K Sharma told reporters, adding they were probing whether there were more people involved in the conspiracy.

Assistant Commissioner of Police of Special Operation Group Aantript Sood had received information about someone sending sensitive information regarding Indian armed forces through e-mail.

"Based on this information, Crime Branch ACP Nirlipt Rai, Police Inspector S L Choudhary and Police Sub Inspector K G Choudhary on Sunday nabbed Ali and Ayub from Jamalpur Bridge near their home," Sharma said.

While Ali had dropped out after Class 8, Ayub completed his B Com and was pursuing a course in journalism from Bhavan's College, said the police.

Police alleged that Ali, who had gone to meet his relatives in Pakistan four years ago, came in contact with an ISI officer who took him to the army office there.

Thereafter, Ali was asked to collect information about the Indian Army and supply it to the ISI in lieu of money, police said, adding that he was given 15 days of intense training.

The duo used to get money through Western Union Money Transfer for the vital information they provided, police said, adding that they used to converse in code language and had prepared rough sketches including maps of Gujarat, the army base
in Bhuj and the cantonment.

Ayub, said the police, helped Ali in sending e-mails to the ISI.

During interrogation, it was revealed that the duo had their network in Orissa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan apart from Gujarat. The duo had developed a robust technical system, through which they ensured that the information they passed on to the ISI did not reach a server, according to police.

The duo has been booked for espionage and investigation of the case has been handed over to Crime Branch Police Inspector H A Rathod.