The Hindu : New Delhi News : Arrested Pak spy never used cellphone to contact his handler

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Saturday, Nov 21, 2009
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New Delhi

Arrested Pak spy never used cellphone to contact his handler

Devesh K. Pandey

NEW DELHI: Jabbar, the alleged Pakistani spy arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi police on November 12, had stayed in a Paharganj hotel here before shifting to Lucknow about five years ago, according to police sources here.

Soon after he sneaked into the country through the Indo-Nepal border, Jabbar reached Delhi via Uttar Pradesh and took a room in a Paharganj hotel for a couple of days. During his stay there, he came across a person named Khalil and became friends with him. Khalil then took Jabbar to Lucknow and helped him settle there.

Khalil purportedly introduced Jabbar to Aman Waris alias Chand, through whom he also met an alleged tout at the passport office, Arshad alias Ashu. On monetary considerations, the two arranged a rented accommodation for Jabbar and also got all necessary documents forged to get a passport issued under a fictitious name bearing his photograph, said police sources. Jabbar used that passport to obtain a driving licence. Ashu and Chand allegedly knew that Jabbar was a Pakistani national.

Jabbar’s actions were guided by instructions he received from his handler, who according to his purported disclosures was a Pakistan’s ISI officer of the rank of a major, sources said. After he agreed to work as a spy, he underwent training in espionage skills. He was taught English to prepare him for communication through e-mail.

He was also acquainted with Hindustani so that he could easily mix with the local populace.

He was then trained to concoct alibis and ways to “win hearts” of people and arrange logistical support through them.

Back in Pakistan, Jabbar had purportedly worked as a small-time electrician. After he shifted to Lucknow, he took up a job at an electrical shop.

A year later Jabbar came to Delhi and started operating from the trans-Yamuna area. Jabbar trained himself in mobile repair work and took up the same job in a shop at Mansarovar Park to evade detection and also to make some money for sustenance. As instructed, Jabbar never used a mobile phone to contact his handler. He visited cyber cafes to pass on information through the Internet. Some of the cyber cafes have been identified.

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