Joint Operation Leads to Arrest of Suspected ISI Agent and Recruiter in Mumbai

In a significant development, a joint operation carried out by the Juhu unit of Maharashtra's anti-terrorism squad (ATS) and the Uttar Pradesh ATS resulted in the arrest of two individuals in Jogeshwari, Mumbai. The operation targeted a suspected agent and recruiter for Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI). The arrests were made following their alleged involvement in aiding another suspected ISI agent, Mohamad Raees, who had already been apprehended in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly supplying sensitive information about Indian military establishments to his handler in Pakistan.

Arrests and Identification

The arrested individuals have been identified as Sayyed Armaan, aged 62, and Mohammad Salman Siddhique, aged 24. Armaan is believed to have recruited Siddhique. Both suspects are residents of Jogeshwari. After the arrests, a team from the Uttar Pradesh ATS arrived in Mumbai to take custody of the suspects. They obtained a transit remand from a local court to transport Armaan and Siddhique back to Uttar Pradesh. The custody transfer was executed smoothly, as reported by a senior officer from the Maharashtra ATS.

Alleged Recruitment and Assistance

According to ATS officials, Armaan had been in contact with an alleged ISI agent and had recruited Raees to gather intelligence on military installations in Uttar Pradesh. This information was intended to be shared with his handler in Pakistan. Armaan, who runs a tea stall in Jogeshwari, and Salman, who owns a mobile repairing shop in the same area, admitted during interrogation that Armaan had provided financial assistance to Raees on multiple occasions.

Financial Incentives and Foreign Contact

 During the investigation, it was uncovered that Armaan had allegedly made lucrative offers of payment to Raees in exchange for gathering classified information about Indian military establishments. Raees agreed to the proposition and returned to Uttar Pradesh, where he received instructions from a person identifying themselves as Hussain, believed to be his Pakistani handler. The ATS officials also revealed that Armaan had previously visited Uttar Pradesh to gather intelligence on cantonment areas and maintained contact with his handler in Pakistan.

Surveillance and Disclosure

The Uttar Pradesh ATS had been monitoring Raees closely, leading to his eventual arrest. During the interrogation, Raees disclosed Armaan's involvement as the individual who recruited him and connected him with his handler in Pakistan. Investigators successfully traced the funds from Pakistan to Armaan, who acted as the intermediary responsible for passing them on to Raees. The information provided by Raees further revealed Armaan's residence in Jogeshwari, Mumbai, which prompted the apprehension of both Armaan and Salman by the Juhu ATS unit, according to Maharashtra ATS officials.