Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) announced on Sunday the arrest of Satyendra Siwal, an employee of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stationed in Moscow, on charges of spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI.
The accused, identified as Satyendra Siwal, served as a Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) at the MEA and was apprehended in Meerut.
The arrest follows an operation triggered by intelligence from confidential sources indicating ISI’s attempts to lure MEA employees for sensitive information related to the Indian Army.
According to the ATS, Siwal, a resident of Shahmahiuddinpur village in Hapur, played a pivotal role in this espionage network.
Exploiting his position within the Indian Embassy in Moscow, Siwal allegedly extracted confidential documents, motivated by financial incentives offered by ISI handlers.
The ATS released a statement, asserting, “Several confidential sources informed the UP ATS that ISI handlers used money to influence individuals within the Foreign Ministry of India to leak top-secret information regarding the Indian Army and its strategies.”
The investigation, involving electronic surveillance and evidence collection, revealed Siwal’s involvement in anti-India activities.
Upon being summoned to the ATS office in Meerut, Siwal reportedly failed to provide satisfactory answers during interrogation.
Satyendra Siwal, designated as India-Based Security Assistant at the Indian Embassy in Russia since 2021, faces charges under Section 121A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Official Secrets Act, 1923. During the arrest operation, two mobile phones, one Aadhaar card, one PAN card, one identification document, and Rs 600 in cash were seized from Siwal.
An FIR has been registered against Siwal under sections of waging war against the country and the Official Secrets Act.