Kolkata: A suspected Pakistani spy, with direct links to the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has been arrested by the West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) from Habra in the North 24-Parganas district of the state.
He has been identified as Rana Rauf, a resident of Faisalabad in Pakistan. Investigators believe that he was directly recruited by the ISI and had been operating in the country using fake Indian documents.
He is accused of collecting sensitive information related to the Army, Border Security Force (BSF) and the Railways, as reported by India Today.
Rauf had been staying in Nepal since 2012, sources said, and entered India illegally by crossing the border. After arriving in West Bengal, he allegedly attempted to establish a permanent identity in Kolkata.
Rauf adopted the name Wahab and obtained forged Indian identity documents carrying a fictitious address in Topsia, Kolkata, where he started to work as a carpenter, investigators said. The fake documents have been seized by the authorities.
Rauf had allegedly been tasked with collecting sensitive information relating to the Army’s Eastern Command in Kolkata, BSF movements and railway infrastructure and operations, sources said.
It has also been alleged that he was attempting to recruit Indian nationals living in Nepal into the espionage network. This is being investigated.
Another person, believed to be associated with Rauf, has been picked up by the STF. His role and the extent of the alleged network are being examined.
Rauf was reporting directly to handlers linked to the ISI, the sources said. His movements between Nepal and India and his plans to leave India are also been looked into.
Rauf was allegedly planning to travel to Pakistan through Bangladesh, officials said.