ISI agent gets 7 yrs rigorous imprisonment

Pune, Oct 4 (UNI) The Chief Judicial Magistrate here today sentenced an agent working for Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000.

Sayeed Ahmed alias Mohammed Desai was arrested by city police in June 1999 under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for allegedly passing vital information to ISI.

Yesterday, he had pleaded guilty before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Yashwant Choure.

While delivering the judgement, Mr Choure said considering seriousness of the offences committed by Desai, he has been charged under various sections to undergo imprisonment concurrently.

He has been sentenced to undergo seven years under Official Secrets Act, seven years for conspirancy, three years for possessing bogus passport and another three years under the Foreign Act.

In addition, a penalty of Rs 50,000 has been imposed on him. Of the total penalty amount, Rs 30,000 in bogus passport case and Rs 20,000 in Foreign act. If he fails to pay the penalty, he will have to under go three more years of imprisonment.

The Magistrate also directed the city Police Commissioner to deport Desai to Pakistan after completion of his sentence.

Desai has been lodged at Yerawada Jail from November 2000. Before that, he was kept in Mumbai. He will be released within few days as he has already served sentence and after paying the balance Rs 20,000 penalty.

He was arrested following the arrest of his wife in Kolhapur on charges of overstaying. During interrogation, she admitted that her husband was working for the ISI.

UNI