Ex-serviceman arrested in Goa for spying for Pakistan

A woman spying for Pakistan arrested from Daman

Panaji, Dec 5 – The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had destroyed a widespread espionage network by arresting retired Subhedar Ajay Kumar Surendra Singh (47), on December 4, who was working in Goa and spying for Pakistan. He was taken into custody from Naveli. The team has arrested Rashmani Ravindra Pal from Daman on December 5 in connection with the case. Both are suspected to be in touch with Pakistani intelligence agencies.  The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has seized international WhatsApp calls, documents and other technical evidence from the mobile sets of both the suspects.

Spies in contact with Pakistani handlers

According to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the accused in the case, Ajay Kumar Surendra Singh, a resident of Bihar and was currently working as a security officer at a liquor plant in Goa. In 2022, while serving in Dimapur in Nagaland, Ajay Kumar came in contact with a Pakistani handler. On his instructions, Ajay Kumar had installed the ‘Trojan malware’  in the mobile set. Hence, the handier was not required to send the information directly through WhatsApp, but the handler could access Ajay Kumar’s mobile sets directly and get the information. Rashmani Ravindra Pal also had direct contact with 2 ‘handlers’ in Pakistan, Abdul Sattar and Khalid. Both of them used to get information   about sensitive areas, troop movements, postings and deployments through WhatsApp and send it to Pakistan.

The operation was carried out under the guidance of Superintendent of Squad Harsh Upadhyay. Both have been booked under sections 61 and 148 of the Indian Penal Code for sedition conspiracy.  They have been charged with obtaining classified information related to the Indian Army, transmitting it to the enemy country and contributing to anti-national activities through financial transactions. The operation was carried out with the help of various investigative agencies including Goa Police.

Rashmani Pal  was posing as ‘Priya Thakur’ and pulling the officers into the trap !

It  is alleged that Rashmani Pal was befriending Indian Army officers under the false name ‘Priya Thakur’ and getting sensitive information from them. Pakistani agents Abdul Sattar and Khalid had given her the job on the pretext of financial benefits. She was given a list of different phone numbers. She was being directed to contact those numbers and get information about the war maneuvers, movements of special stations and deployments. The investigation also revealed that Rashmani Pal had opened an account with Airtel Payments Bank and made financial transactions.

Editorial Perspectives

• It is outrageous that an ex-soldier is spying for Pakistan ! At present, such incidents are coming to light in the army. Therefore, it is necessary for the army to be more vigilant and try to find such people and get them sentenced  to death !
• Those who commit anti-national activities for the sake of money are more dangerous than the enemies !