Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Pakistani Spy's 2 aides Cought in lucknow

LUCKNOW:

Two persons were arrested here on Tuesday for their alleged links with suspected Pakistani spy Syed Amir Ali. Though police have refused to confirm a third arrest in the case, but sources say that the third accused is believed to be a policeman.

While police officials were unwilling to divulge details of those arrested, informed sources said the arrested policeman was responsible for giving Ali an intelligence clearance that got him an Indian passport, IANS reported.

The duo, identified as Mohd Arshad alias Arshu and Chaand, were arrested from the old city area on charges of assisting Syed Amir Ali (36), who was nabbed at Delhi's IGI airport on Saturday, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) A K Jain told PTI in Lucknow.

He said the two accused were touts, who prepared fake papers including address proof, which were used by Ali, alias Jabbar to obtain the passport and other documents, including a driving licence.

The ADG said the two were being interrogated. A senior police officer in Delhi said the two were caught by a joint team of Delhi Police's Special Cell and UP's ATS. There were reports about a third arrest but police have not confirmed it.

While the seized passport was issued under the name of 'Syed Amir Ali', the licence was in the name of 'S A Ali', the Delhi Police officer said.

Official sources said investigators are probing whether Arshad had bribed passport and transport department officials to get these documents for Ali.

Ali, who the police says hails from Karachi, was caught while trying to board a flight to Damman in Saudi Arabia allegedly using the fake passport he procured from Lucknow, where he stayed between 2005 and 2006.

Times Now reported that a Delhi Police team which arrived on Monday has been carrying out investigations at the passport and the transport offices.

Police are also investigating how suspected spy Syed Amir Ali contacted property dealer Arshad and others and got help to escape notice of security agencies.

Security agencies have pointed to a larger conspiracy to assist Syed – this after it was pointed out that Syed had a genuine passport with a fake address on it.

Times Now has been told that Syed could have bribed officials to procure the passport. Uttar Pradesh’s Anti-Terror Squad has been alerted over the possibility of the involvement of some regional passport officers in the scam.

According to Times Now, the question that now arises is whether touts and small time dealers are being made a convenient scapegoat in what could be a massive security lapse. Given that a Pakistani national was able to get a genuine Indian passport with a fake residence proof, the conspiracy could easily involve top police officials, and if the regional passport office is to be held accountable, so should the Union Home Secretary.

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