2 arrested in Gujarat on charges of spying for ISI

, Oct 15: Two persons were arrested in Ahmedabad on Sunday for allegedly passing on confidential information related to army base in Bhuj and Army Cantonment to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (

), police said.

Sirajuddin Ali (22) and Mohammad Ayub (23), both residents of Jamalpur, have been charged with espionage. While Ali used to supply eggs to Army canteen, Ayub is a student, police said.

"Crime Branch police have registered a case and are probing the nature and quantity of information provided by the duo to ISI," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) AK Sharma told reporters, adding they were probing whether there were more people involved in the conspiracy.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of Special Operation Group (SOG) Aantript Sood had received information about someone sending sensitive information regarding Indian armed forces to the enemy state through e-mail.

"Based on this information, Crime Branch ACP Nirlipt Rai, Police Inspector (PI) SL Choudhary and Police Sub Inspector (PSI) KG Choudhary today nabbed Ali and Ayub from Jamalpur bridge near their home," Sharma said.

While Ali had dropped out after Class VII, Ayub completed his B Com and was pursuing a course in journalism from Bhavan's College in Ahmedabad, police said.

Police alleged that Ali who had gone to meet his relatives in Pakistan four years ago came in contact with an ISI officer who took him to the Army office there.

Thereafter, Ali was asked to collect information about Indian Army and supply it to ISI in lieu of money, police said, adding that he was given 15 days of intense training.

The duo used to get money through Western Union Money Transfer for the vital information they provided, police said, adding that they used to converse in code language and had prepared rough sketches including maps of Gujarat, Army base in Bhuj and Cantonment here.

Ayub, police said, helped Ali in sending e-mail to ISI.

During interrogation, it was revealed that the duo had their network in Orissa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan apart from Gujarat and the duo had developed a robust technical system, through which they ensured that the information they passed on to ISI did not reach a server, according to police.

The duo has been booked for espionage and investigation of the case has been handed over to Crime Branch Police Inspector HA Rathod.

PTI