In a joint operation with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested Satendra Siwal, who was employed as a Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on accusations of working for Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, the agency said on Sunday.
Satendra is accused of giving important classified information about the Indian Embassy, Defense Ministry, External Affairs Ministry and Indian military establishments to the ISI handlers.
“Satendra Siwal working as MTS (Multi-Tasking, Staff) at the Ministry of External Affairs, has been arrested by UP ATS. He is accused of working for ISI. Satendra was posted at the Indian Embassy in Moscow. He is originally a resident of Hapur,” UP ATS said in a statement.
Satendra Siwal, son of Jaiveer Singh, a resident of Shahmahiuddinpur village in the police station area of Hapur district, was arrested from Meerut.
Sources said the MEA is aware of the arrest and continues to work with the investigative authorities on the matter.
According to reports, Satendra confessed to working for the ISI during questioning by the Meerut unit of ATS. Two mobile phones and several identification documents were recovered from the accused.
The ATS received intelligence inputs from various confidential sources that ISI handlers, with the help of some people, were luring MEA employees with money to obtain strategically important information related to the Indian Army, which is likely to pose a huge threat to the internal and external security of India, a statement by the agency said.
In its probe through electronic and physical surveillance, the ATS found that Satendra was involved in anti-India activities with the network of the ISI handlers and provided them with important confidential information regarding the strategic activities of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian military establishments in exchange for money, the statement added.
Upon being questioned by the Meerut unit of ATS, the accused could not give satisfactory answers and confessed to his crime during the interrogation.
According to top Intelligence sources, Satendra sent almost 10-12 sensitive documents to ISI handlers. He is also accused of sharing details of crucial meetings and deals from Moscow.
An FIR has been registered against Satendra, who has been working as the IBSA (India-Based Security Assistant) in the Indian Embassy in Moscow, Russia, since 2021, at ATS police station, Lucknow, under Section 121A of the IPC (waging war against the country) and official secrets Act 1923, the statement noted.
He will be produced before a court soon. Teams of ATS and IB will question the accused in a joint interrogation.
According to sources, more names of his handlers are expected to be revealed in the interrogation who are possibly Indians.
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