Image showing handcuffs. For representational purposes.
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Lucknow: Close on the heels of the arrest of a Uttar Pradesh businessman, a resident of Rampur district was nabbed by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) from Varanasi on suspicion of working for the Pakistani spy agency ISI.
According to the sources, the ATS, on Thursday arrested Tuffail, who was allegedly a member of Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP), a terrorist outfit based in Pakistan, and was sharing sensitive information with his Pak handlers.
Sources said that Tuffail used to share information in a WhatsApp group which TLP leader Maulana Shaad Rizvi was a part of. This WhatsApp group had messages including avenging the Babri Masjid demolition and implementation of the Sharia Law in India.
Tuffail was also in contact with a woman, who was allegedly the wife of a Pakistani Army soldier.
The officials said that Tuffail shared pictures of important places like Rajghat, Namo Ghat, Gyanvapi Mosque, Railway stations, and Red Fort in the WhatsApp group. He was also active in roping others to join the group.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that Tuffail was in touch with one Nafeesa, whose husband worked for the Pakistani Army. ‘’It is clear that Tuffail is part of a spy network and was a threat to national security,’’ said an official.
A case was registered against Tuffail at the ATS police station in Lucknow. The ATS was now investigating the other members of the network.
A few days back, the ATS had arrested a businessman, identified as Shehzad, who hailed from Tanda area in Rampur district, on charges of spying for the ISI.
Shehzad had travelled to Pakistan several times and been in contact with several ISI handlers with whom he shared sensitive information and also financed the ISI agents on the direction of his handlers.
Several suspected ISI ‘agents’ have been arrested in different parts of the country in the past few days. Recently, travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra was arrested for allegedly sharing military information with ISI.