An alleged Pakistani spy was arrested by the Rajasthan police from the bordering city of Jaisalmer on Thursday along with RAW and IB and items containing information on India’s defence institutions were seized from him.
He was identified as Nandlal Maharaj, aged 26 and was arrested from a hideout in a hotel of Jaisalmer helping to smuggle weapons and explosives into India.
Sources have revealed that Nandlal and his network sneaked in about 35 kilograms of RDX from India-Pakistan border along Rajasthan. The explosives were dispatched reportedly to carry out blasts at various locations across the country.
Two mobile phones with micro SD cards, which contained classified information and photographs related to India’s defence institutions and vehicles; ₹2010 INR, ₹30 PKR and a diary containing information on money received from ISI, were recovered from him.
The diary reportedly has details of financial transactions between the spy and ISI. The diary reveals key details like time and amount of transactions. Depending upon the information he gave to ISI, he received varying amounts of money, all of which have been recorded in the diary.
As per the diary, Nandlal was reportedly paid about ₹70,000 for trading the explosives. The agencies have initiated a probe to find out where all these explosives have been dispatched by the suspected spy.
Nandlal, who is a Hindu, hails from Khipro, Sanghar in Sindh of Pakistan. According to sources, Nandlal operates a textile showroom in Pakistan and earns a sum of ₹3,000 each month.
He had come to India on the Thar Express on August 5 on a valid visa. His visit to Jaisalmer was illegal as the visa issued was for Jodhpur.
He was then seen in one of the 350 villages along the Jaisalmer border that are out of bounds for foreigners; Indians also need special permission to enter the zone. Villagers told investigators that Maharaj was offering money in exchange for information on high-security areas and arrangements.
Nandlal was nabbed after a 48-hour-long search operation carried out by the three intelligence agencies. Police have said that about eight other operatives who worked closely with Nandlal have fled after they learnt about his arrest.
Pakistan has been recruiting Hindus residing in towns adjacent to the border to camouflage them as Indians. The spies reportedly communicated using satellite phones with their agents in Pakistan.
Nandlal was arrested under sections 3 and 3 (9) of Official Secret Act 1923. He was produced in court on Friday and brought to Jaipur for further interrogation.
Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria said the arrested accuse is an ISI agent and was being tracked for a long time.
