The role of a Pakistan High Commission (PHC) staff in India is under scanner for helping members of an espionage network penetrating the key defence and strategic establishments here.
This was disclosed by Delhi Police Crime Branch, >which has arrested two alleged members of this network , a Border Security Force (BSF) head Constable and a handler of Pakistani Intelligence Operative.
Kaifatullah Khan, the handler arrested for allegedly providing sensitive information on security deployment to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has revealed that the PHC official was to facilitate his next visit to Pakistan.
"Khan was told to visit Pakistan after concluding his Bhopal trip. The official at the PHC was to ease the process of obtaining visa for him. That plan was foiled with his arrest at New Delhi Railway Station by us last week," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav.
He, however, claims that he was not told about the name or rank of the official. Mr. Yadav said that without ascertaining the identity of the suspect at PHC, they could not proceed with placing a formal request to MEA for questioning anyone at the High Commission.
Had he gone ahead with the plan after securing visa, this would have been Khan's second visit to Pakistan since 2013 where he was roped in by ISI handler there after the person lured him with money. The purpose of that visit was to meet his relative in Gunjrawala and the visa for that was obtained through routine channels without any rigging, he purportedly told the police.
The promised sum was not disclosed but a portion of it received by Khan and his accomplice Head Constable Abdul Rasheed routed through global money transfer channels or bank to bank transfer from the Gulf countries, said another officer.
Khan himself had trained with Jammu and Kashmir Police in 1992 bit took up a librarian's job the very next year. Rasheed, his cousin and alleged accomplice, too had been communicating with ISI handler in Pak, said Mr. Yadav.
The Delhi Police so far has been tight lipped about link between Khan and Rasheed and some of the other modules busted in the country by State Police Forces but did not dismiss the possibility.