The fresh arrest of five ISI agents from Kolkata and Meerut recently and the association of some of them with the Trinamool Congress exposes the political patronage enjoyed by the ISI men in Bharat.
The ISI network in Bharat has been a matter of concern for a long time for not only the general public, but also for the intelligence agencies. This network is found strong in the states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam where the Muslim population is comparatively high. The arrest of a Pak national Eizaz and ISI agent from Meerut on November 27 and four others from Kolkata on November 29 and December 2 alerted the security agencies. The association of some of them with the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal exposed the local political patronage provided to such anti-national elements in Bharat.
Mohammad Eizaz alias Mohammad Kalam was arrested by UP Special Task Force from Meerut Cantt area. STF IG Sujit Pande said the STF had information that the ISI agents are collecting information about the movement of Bharateeya Army and were also supplying important documents related to the army to the ISI. The STF was following them for some time and the arrest of Eizaz was the output of that exercise.
The STF recovered photocopy of a Pakistani identity card, one Samsung mobile phone, TATA Docomo sim, a laptop of Toshiba company, a 26 GB pen drive, a fake voter identity card issued from West Bengal, a fake Aadhar card issued from Bareilly address, Delhi Metro card, secret document of the Bharateeya Army, Nepal and Saudi Arabia currency.
According to Anit Kumar, CO of STF, Eizaz is a resident of Taramandi Chowk at Irfanabad in Islamabad. He entered West Bengal through Bangladesh. He reached Ghusa under Aara district of Bihar where he was provided shelter and was married to one Asma of Azimabad. He stayed in Aara for five months and then reached Bareilly with his wife. In Bareilly, he stayed at the house of one Rukhsana on rent for four months. Then he shifted to house no 467 at Deewankhana in Shahbad area of Bareilly. He came close to Mohammad Asif who works as a photographer in Bareilly Cantt area about six months back. He established good contacts in the Cantt area through Asif. He joined Asif and started shooting the programmes organised by the families of army officers. During shoot of their functions, he also started shooting important buildings of the army.
After interrogation, the STF officers revealed that Eizaz was especially targeting some religious places, Cantt areas and airports of the country. He was present during an army drill at Banaras airport which is under the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The video recording of that drill was sent to Pakistan through internet. He was also active in Uttarakhand for some time. He was in close touch of his bosses sitting in Pakistan through internet. He used to speak to them in code words.
Eizaz told the STF that he got all fake documents in Kolkata where he was brought through a boat from Dhaka. He was kept there in the house of one Irshad in Matia Burj South area. Irshad helped him in getting fake documents and then opening an account in the Central Bank’s branch. He also worked as street vendor in Kolkata.
Meanwhile, three persons were arrested from Kolkata on November 29. One of the arrested is Irshad who is leader of Trinmool Congress’s labour wing, INTTUC. The second Asfaque Ansari has been general secretary of the Students Union of a local college on TMCs student wing TMCP’s ticket. The third is Mohd. Jehangira, who is brother of Irshad’s wife. Eizaz worked as sub agent of Irshad. Their fourth associate Sheikh Badal was arrested on December 2 from the Regional Passport office at Brabourne Road. His name had come up during the interrogation of arrested trio from Garden Reach area.
The growing ISI network in the country has posed a big challenge before the intelligence agencies. The agencies need to crack the local modules also who not only provide shelter but also provide fake Bharateeya documents to such elements. Just the arrest of such spy is not enough, those who are helping them should also be arrested and duly punished.
Surender Singhal (With inputs from Basudeb Paul in Kolkata)
