Lucknow: In a startling revelation, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested Satendra Siwal, an employee of the Indian Embassy in Moscow, on charges of spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. Siwal, who held the position of Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) in the Ministry of External Affairs, was apprehended in Meerut as part of a major operation to counter espionage activities.
The ATS initiated the operation based on intelligence received from confidential sources, indicating that ISI handlers were attempting to lure employees of the Ministry of External Affairs by offering financial incentives in exchange for sensitive information related to the Indian Army. The exchanged information was deemed a severe threat to both India’s internal and external security.
Hailing from Shahmahiuddinpur village in Hapur, Satendra Siwal was identified as a pivotal figure in this alleged espionage network. Exploiting his position within the Indian Embassy in Moscow, Siwal purportedly extracted confidential documents and passed critical information concerning the strategic activities of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, and Indian military establishments to ISI handlers.
The ATS, in a statement, disclosed, “The agency was receiving intelligence from various confidential sources that the handlers of the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, through some persons, were luring the employees of the Ministry of External Affairs with money to obtain strategically important information related to the Indian Army that is likely to pose a huge threat to the internal and external security of India.”
Following extensive intelligence gathering and surveillance, Satendra Siwal was summoned to the ATS Field Unit in Meerut for interrogation. Subsequently, during questioning, Siwal reportedly failed to provide satisfactory answers, eventually confessing to his involvement in spy activities. Siwal had been serving as an India Based Security Assistant (IBSA) at the Indian Embassy in Moscow since 2021.
An FIR has been registered against Siwal under sections related to waging war against the country and the Official Secrets Act. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed its awareness of Satendra Siwal’s arrest and stated that it is actively cooperating with investigative authorities in the case. The incident has raised concerns about the vulnerability of diplomatic missions to espionage activities and has prompted a reevaluation of security measures within the Ministry of External Affairs.
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