Sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested an alleged terror funding conspirator, Abdul Rehman Jabbar Sheik (53), in the Visakhapatnam naval espionage racket on Saturday.
Investigation officers during searches on his house in Mumbai reportedly seized some incriminating documents and several digital equipment.
Abdul Rehman’s wife, Shaista Qaiser, was arrested along with 13 others in the racket. The couple is facing charges on terror funding in the international racket which has links to Pakistan. Shaista was a Pakistan-born Indian national, according to the investigation agency.
11 sailors held
In December, 2019, the Counter Intelligence police registered a case under Sections 120 (B) & 121 (A) of IPC, Section 17 & 18 of UA (P) Act and Section 3 of Official Secrets Act. Later, the NIA has took over the case and arrested 15 persons, including 11 sailors of Indian Navy who allegedly involved in the racket.
On May 15 this year, the NIA officials arrested key conspirator in the case, Md. Haroon Haji Abdul Rehman Lakdawala (49) of Mumbai. Lakdawala visited Karachi on the pretext of trading on several occasions and reportedly met the handlers.
Lakdawala was produced in the NIA Court in Vijayawada and is in judicial remand since then. Jabbar Sheik would be brought on PT warrant and would be produced in the NIA Court, along with the seized material.
