New Delhi, May 20: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said it has arrested a Kolkata resident for allegedly spying for Pakistani Intelligence Officers (PIOs) and sharing sensitive security-related information as part of an anti-India conspiracy.
According to an NIA press release, the accused, identified as Zafar Riaz alias Rizvi, was taken into custody in connection with a case linked to espionage and terror activities. Officials said a Look Out Circular (LOC) had already been issued against him, while proceedings to declare him a Proclaimed Offender were also underway.
The agency stated that the accused has been booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Official Secrets Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Investigators revealed that he was married to a Pakistani national and that his children are Pakistani citizens.
NIA said Zafar had earlier been convicted in an espionage case under the IPC and Official Secrets Act. Investigations revealed that he had frequently travelled between India and Pakistan since 2005 and was allegedly recruited by Pakistani intelligence operatives during one of his visits.
The probe further disclosed that the accused allegedly shared One-Time Passwords (OTPs) of Indian mobile numbers with Pakistani handlers to help activate WhatsApp accounts for covert communication. The agency claimed these accounts were used to maintain contact with another accused, Motiram Jat, who was allegedly involved in passing confidential security information to Pakistani operatives.
The NIA said further investigations are underway to identify other individuals linked to the espionage network and uncover the broader conspiracy behind the case.(KNC)
