New Delhi: The man arrested from Uttarakhand on charges of espionage allowed agents from Pakistan’s spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) gain entry into the house of the Indian diplomat in Islamabad on a number of occasions.
Ramesh was arrested late on May 22 from Pithoragarh by a team consisting of military intelligence (J&K unit), Uttarakhand police and UP ATS.
Sources in the Anti-Terrorism Squad told News18 that the accused, Ramesh Singh, who used to work as a cook at a former Indian diplomat’s house, further allowed ISI agents to park their cars outside the diplomat’s house for hours.
“He has given us a detailed statement. He allowed other agents to enter the diplomat’s house on at least four occasions. Other times, he let them park their cars outside the diplomat’s house without any disturbance,” sources said.
Authorities said they have also recovered a phone and three SIM cards from him and it is currently under forensic examination.
He had moved to Islamabad in 2015 as a house help for the Indian diplomat which is when he is said to have leaked crucial information to ISI for money. Ramesh finally came back to India in 2017 and was still asked by the ISI to share information.
The investigation, that finally led the intelligence agencies to Ramesh, started last year when a man named Aftab, a native of Faizabad, was arrested in May for spying. Soon, Aftab’s interrogation and confession led to the arrest of two hawala agents based in Maharashtra.
Investigations into the phone records of the two agents led authorities to a money trail that went all the way back to Pakistan. These agents were asked to transfer money to various accounts by this Pakistani handler. Finally, about two months ago, the intelligence agencies zeroed in on Ramesh.
At a press conference held earlier on Thursday in Lucknow, Anand Kumar, ADG (law and order, UP) said that Ramesh was paid heavily in dollars. “He got these dollars exchanged for rupees in Delhi to carry it further to his village,” Kumar said.
Ramesh is said to have got the job after being recommended for the same by his brother, who is in the Indian Army.
“His brother is not an accused nor is he a suspect, but he will be questioned,” a source at ATS told News18.
Sources in Uttarakhand said that authorities had been doing the rounds around his house 2-3 days prior to his arrest. “He was arrested late in the night on Tuesday. His family was at home when he was taken away,” the source added.
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