Arrested Khan brothers handled by Pak Major: Officials

The interrogation of Akhtar Khan and his brother, Zafar, arrested for suspected ISI links by the Kolkata Police, have led officials to believe that a Pakistani Army Major is behind handling all sleeper cells and agents of the counter-intelligence agency in West Bengal.

While Akhtar was arrested on November 10, Zafar was picked up for questioning and subsequently arrested on November 16.

Sources said the two brothers were tasked with sending regular updates on troop movements in Bengal and Bihar. Officials, however, admitted that they are yet to find any terror links related with the brothers.

“They were most probably working as spies and might not have had links with any terrorist organisation,” an official said.

According to sources, Akhtar said during interrogation that he used to send regular updates through emails and WhatsApp on defence installations in Bengal and Bihar to one Major Arshad of the Pakistani Army.

Officials claiming Major Arshad’s name as the handler was also corroborated by another suspected ISI agent, arrested few days ago from the North 24 Parganas.

“We’ve come to know Akhtar was a regular visitor to Panagarh and Siliguri in Bengal, besides Katihar in Bihar; places that have cantonments and air force bases. We believe he received help from relatives in Nepal and Bihar,” a source said.

SRK’s stolen bag
Meanwhile, in a sensational twist to the case of suspected ISI agent Akhtar Khan’s arrest in Kolkata, he reportedly claimed to have stolen a bag belonging to actor Shah Rukh Khan.

 Sources said he claimed to have stolen it during an Indian Premier League (IPL) event in the city where he was working as a bar tender. The claim, however, remains unsubstantiated.

Sources said while Akhtar made the startling claim, the theft could not be confirmed. “Even if such a thing happened no formal complaint was lodged by the actor or his staff,” a Kolkata police officer, who has been part of Khan’s security detail for last two IPL seasons, said. Khan is the owner of the Kolkata team in the annual cricket tournament and is a regular visitor during matches.

While sources in Mumbai also failed to get a confirmation on the matter due to lack of any complaint, officials in Kolkata Police said that they are trying to ascertain whether Akhtar’s claim is authentic. “He has misled us on a number of counts in the last few days so it’s hard to say whether he’s speaking truth. We believe it is another false assertion just to divert our attention,” an officer said.