2 arrested in Punjab, 1 in Haryana for alleged spying
What's the story
Three people, including two from Punjab and one from Haryana, were arrested on Monday for allegedly spying for Pakistan. The Haryana police's Mewat unit arrested Mohammad Tareef of Kangarka village after he "confessed" to sharing sensitive information about military and other agencies with officials of the Pakistan High Commission. The arrests of the two individuals from Punjab were handled separately by the Punjab authorities.
Espionage charges
Punjab residents arrested for sharing classified information
The other two arrested are Sukhpreet and Karanbir from Punjab. They were apprehended on May 15 after credible inputs suggested they were sharing classified information related to 'Operation Sindoor' with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). This operation includes sensitive details such as troop movements and key strategic locations, Punjab DGP posted on X.
Confession details
Tarif's confession and connections with Pakistan officials
Tarif, a quack in Tauru Sadar, confessed to sharing sensitive information about the Indian Air Force with people in Pakistan for money. His confession named two staffers of the Pakistan High Commission—Asim Baloch and Zafar. Another Pakistani official, Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, was also linked to a recent espionage case involving the Hisar-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra.
Initial contact
Tarif's initial contact with Pakistan High Commission
Tarif revealed that he first met Baloch at the Pakistan High Commission in 2018 when he applied for his visa. He claimed Baloch asked him to arrange two SIM cards in exchange for his visa, which he did. After receiving his visa, Tarif referred several people to Baloch and received commission payments from him.
Third visit
Tarif's 3rd visit to Pakistan and subsequent arrest
After his third visit to Pakistan in 2024, Zafar allegedly offered Tarif money for information about the Sirsa IAF station. The police said that before his arrest, Tarif tried to delete some chat records from his phone. Tarif's arrest is the 13th on charges of alleged espionage since India launched Operation Sindoor, and the second from Nuh.