Man arrested for passing sensitive information to foreign intelligence agency

The Delhi Police has arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly passing sensitive information about Army deployment to a foreign intelligence agency, officials said on Saturday.

The accused has been identified as Harpal Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran in Punjab, they said.

"A highly motivated and radicalised man was arrested for passing sensitive information to foreign intelligence agency. He conveyed details related to Indian Army personnel, Army movements, location of Army and BSF posts and bunkers on the outposts of India at India-Pakistan border,” a senior police officer said.

The money routed through hawala channels was used for funding the espionage operation, he said.

According to police, they got a tip-off that the accused was having links with intelligence officers of foreign countries and that he had been receiving funds from his handlers through illegal means for conveying sensitive information regarding national security.

During investigation, it was found that he was working as a farm machinery operator. While doing fencing work at the India-Pakistan border, he found a way to convey the secret information or documents across the border, the officer said.

“On Monday, police received information that Singh was coming to Delhi. He was about to receive some secret documents from his sources. Thereafter, a trap was laid and Singh was apprehended from Majnu Ka Tila area in north Delhi,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sajeev Kumar Yadav said.

During interrogation, Singh disclosed his involvement in procuring sensitive information and further conveying it through different digital channels to his Lahore-based handler Jaspal, police said.

He was receiving money from his handler through hawala channel for funding the espionage operation. He got the chance to meet his handler during his visit to Oman, police said.

A mobile phone with two SIM cards, confidential documents of Indian Army and two bus tickets used for the journey were recovered from his possession, they said.

Identities and roles of other foreign nationals involved in the conspiracy are also being ascertained. Further investigation is on, police added.