Hyderabad High Court confirms lifer for Pakistani spy

The Hyderabad High Court has confirmed the life imprisonment awarded to a Pakistani spy, Ashiq Ali. The order of the trial court awarding a lifer was confirmed by the High Court.

Ali, a Pakistani national was arrested by the Nizamabad police on January 26, 2002, from the Jannapally Junction. It was alleged that he was passing on strategic defence information to the Pakistan army through mobile and emails. It was alleged that he had conspired with Major Chaudry Zahid Ahmed, Hawaldar Mahemood and Hawaldar Tahir, all Pakistan nationals, with an intention to collect sensitive and strategic defence information related to Indian Armed Forces.

He was launched into India under the guise of a tourist on June 15, 2001. During his stint, he visited Delhi, Kanpur, Mumbai, Nagpur and Hyderabad. He collected information with regard to the location of EME Centres of Secunderabad Cantonment Area, Artillery Centres at Golconda, Hyderabad, Army and Air-Force Training Centres in Hyderabad and communicated about this to his masters in Pakistan.

The police booked him under Section 121 and Section 121-A of the IPC and Section 14 of the Foreigners' Act and also under Officials Secrets' Act.

During the trial, the accused confessed that he communicated in cryptic language using 'uncle' as code for 54 division; 'sons' as units; 'house nos.' as a number of units; 'name of colony's place' as code for the location of the units.