On Sunday, February 4, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) apprehended Satyendra Siwal, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) employee, on charges of espionage. Siwal, employed as Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) at the Ministry, stands accused of acting as an agent for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
According to UP ATS officials, Siwal was stationed at the Indian Embassy in Moscow and hails from Hapur. The arrest follows intelligence indicating ISI’s attempts to recruit MEA and Indian government personnel. Allegedly, individuals operating under aliases enticed them with monetary incentives to procure classified information pertaining to India’s military and strategic affairs, posing a significant threat to national security.
In an official statement, UP ATS disclosed that they amassed intelligence through undisclosed sources regarding ISI’s machinations. Surveillance efforts, both electronic and physical, implicated Siwal in anti-India activities, linking him to ISI handlers and the Indian Embassy network. It was revealed that Siwal exchanged sensitive data on the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, and Indian military operations for financial remuneration.
Satyendra Siwal, son of Jaiveer Singh and a resident of Shahmahiuddinpur village, Hapur, served as an IBSA (India Based Security Assistant) at the Indian Embassy in Moscow since 2021. Following his interrogation at the ATS Field Unit in Meerut, Siwal admitted to his involvement in espionage activities.
An FIR (No. 02/2024) has been lodged at the ATS Police Station in Lucknow, charging Siwal under Section 121A of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 3/5/9 of the Official Secrets Act-1923. Additionally, Siwal was arrested in connection with the case.
During the arrest, UP ATS confiscated two mobile phones, an Aadhar card, a PAN card, an identity card, and ₹600 in cash as evidence. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities delve deeper into the implications of Siwal’s alleged espionage activities.
