Espionage case and the diplomatic tit-for-tat: Latest developments from India and Pak

India declared a Pak Embassy staffer as persona non-grata for spy activities after he was caught with sensitive defence documents

In a tit-for-tat action, Pakistan on Thursday declared an Indian High Commission official as persona non-grata and asked him to leave the country within 48 hours.

Foreign Office had said in a statement that the decision was conveyed to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale who was summoned to foreign ministry. The Foreign Secretary has expressed deep concern over the activities of the Indian official that were in violation of the Vienna Convention and the established diplomatic norms, it said.

Earlier, India declared a Pakistan High Commission staffer in New Delhi as persona non-grata for espionage activities after he was caught by Delhi Police with sensitive defence documents including deployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border.

Pak Embassy staffer detained on charges of espionage

A Pakistan High Commission staffer was detained by police for accessing sensitive defence documents while running a spy ring for Pakistan's Inter-State Intelligence, and was immediately declared persona non-grata on Thursday.

The staffer Mehmood Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the High Commission and has diplomatic immunity, was procuring critical details including about deployment of BSF personnel along the Indo-Pak border from two other accomplices who have been arrested, police said.

Described as the kingpin of the spy ring, 35-year-old Akhtar belongs to the Baloch regiment of Pakistani Army and was on deputation to spy agency ISI since 2013, investigators said, adding they also probing possible involvement of more people from the Pakistani mission.

Akhtar and two others -- identified as Subhash Jangir and Maulana Ramzan-- were picked up from Delhi Zoo on Wednesday around 10 am. Akhtar was released after around three hours of interrogation as he enjoys diplomatic immunity. A fourth person Shoaib, who is a Jodhpur-based passport and visa agent, was detained by Rajasthan police this evening and was being brought to Delhi.

Forging of documents

Police said that Mehmood Akhtar initially showed an Aadhar card in the name of Mehboob Rajput.

"He claimed to be a resident of Chandni Chowk but after sustained interrogation, he revealed his real name Mehmood Akhtar," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav.

"He is serving with Pakistan ISI and has got diplomatic immunity since he is posted in the Pakistan High Commission (PHC) of Delhi. This was verified through MEA and after confirmation and as per the due procedures, he was handed over to the PHC diplomats in presence of MEA representative," Yadav said.

During interrogation, Akhtar told police that he is on deputation to Pak ISI since January 2013 and is a serving Hawaldar of 40 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan Army, the officer said adding he is native of village Kahuta, Rawalpindi district.

"Since Akhtar was working in the visa department, it gave easy access to him to identify people who could work for him as spies. People who were financially weak would be lured by promise of getting big money," said another officer.

Other accomplices

Both Ramzan and Jangir are residents of Rajasthan's Nagore.

Ramzan had introduced Subhash to Akhtar as a paramilitary officer for minting hefty amount of money as well as to show that information being received is credible, Yadav said.

Police has also recovered the mobile phones of Ramzan and Jangir, who were sharing information and documents with Akhtar.

Akhtar would meet Maulana and Jangir once every month in Delhi where they would give documents to him and he would pay them a high amount in return.

During interrogation, they didn't reveal the amount for leaking information but it is suspected to be in the range of Rs 30,000-Rs 50,000, he said.

Man arrested in Jodhpur for involvement in espionage racket 

Shoaib, the Jodhpur-based passport and visa agent allegedly involved in espionage racket, was detained near his hometown on Thursday evening, police said.

"He (Shoaib) was responsible for recruiting Subhash and Maulana in the module. He was detained near Jodhpur today evening," said Yadav.

Shoaib had come in contact with Maulana around one-and-a-half year back, who lured the latter to join him in collecting vital information about the installations of army and para-military forces in Gujarat and Rajasthan, the officer said.

Shoaib's questioning is likely to reveal about the network of other spies who were recruited in the module.

Police has also got to know Nagaur-based Ramzan used to recruit locals which included army and para-military forces personnel to pass on information/documents, said Yadav.

He had introduced Subhash as a para-military officer to Mehmood for getting high money for sharing of important documents, police said.

'More from Pak Mission may be involved in spy racket'

Investigators probing the spy case suspect more people from the mission may be involved in the espionage ring.

Sources in Delhi Police also did not rule out possible involvement of some BSF personnel in the racket as they believe Akhtar and his accomplices could not have got hold of deployment details unless somebody in BSF was leaking them.

Akhtar had procured sensitive defence documents and deployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border and shared them with the ISI. 

It is also suspected that he lured many people into the spying ring by offering them good money and that there was a honey trap at play to lure people, said an officer in the probe team.

Espionage charges 'false', 'unsubstantiated': Pakistan

Pakistan deplored India declaring its High Commission staffer in New Delhi as persona non-grata for espionage activities, terming charges against the diplomatic official as "false and unsubstantiated".

The Indian action has been accompanied by an "extremely negative and orchestrated media campaign", it said, adding the move "clearly reflects Indian actions to shrink diplomatic space for the working of Pakistan High Commission".

It also alleged that India's attempts to escalate the tensions and divert the international attention from the "grave human rights violations" being perpetrated in Kashmir can never succeed.