Imran, 40, and Soofia Kanwal, 38, both residents of Karachi in Pakistan, were apprehended at the New Delhi Railway Station following a tip-off, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ashok Chand said on Monday. The two were produced in the Tees Hazari court on Monday.
“We had intelligence input that two Pakistani nationals would enter the country illegally through the Indo-Nepal border and arrive in Delhi,” Chand said.
Police on December 5 received information that the duo had entered India through Sanouli border Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and that they would arrive in Delhi by the Gorakhdham Express train. “As they reached Delhi, the man and the woman were arrested,” said Chand.
During interrogation, Imran told the police he originally belonged to Ahmedabad in Gujarat and migrated to Pakistan in 1988. He acquired Pakistani citizenship and floated a textile company in Karachi. Between 2007 and 2008, he incurred huge losses and was in deep financial crisis.
“The Pakistani intelligence agencies approached him and told him they would provide him monetary support if he was willing to work for them,” said Chand.
When Imran acquiesced, his Pakistani bosses directed him in March 2011 to go to India and settle with a woman as a resident agent. Imran and Soofia entered India and were to go to Agra to meet one of his associates. After reaching Agra, they were told to wait for further instructions. “His associate in Agra has been identified and efforts are on to arrest him,” said Chand.
Police recovered their Pakistani passports, which had no visa or stamp of entry into India. “The citizenship card of Soofia Kanwal, issued by the Pakistan government, was recovered,” the police officer said.
Police also seized a driving licence in the name of Chipa Imran and an election identity card in the same name, both issued by the Gujarat government. A PAN card in the name of Chippa Imran Yusuf and an old Indian passport in the name of Imran Yusuf Lafangajiwala, issued in 1986 from Ahmedabad, were also recovered from Imran.
