Lucknow: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh police has arrested a man suspected to be an agent of Pakistan-based Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The accused, identified as 45-year-old Tehseem alias Mota, was nabbed at the Garhi Shakhawat crossing on Meerut-Karnal Road in Muzaffarnagar on Wednesday night.
Director General (law and order), Prashant Kumar revealed that during interrogation, Tehseem confessed to frequenting Pakistan with his younger brother Kaleem (30). Through connections made there, they were allegedly lured by ISI handlers with money and promises of arms, ammunition, and funds to spread ‘jihad’ and disrupt communal harmony in India.
Kumar further elaborated that Tehseem and Kaleem used fake SIM cards to send sensitive information over WhatsApp to Dilshad alias Mirza, an ISI agent in Pakistan. They also reportedly received counterfeit currency from another individual named Nafees. The information they passed on pertained to photos of Meerut Cantonment and other air force bases and military installations in the state.
The STF’s operation began with the arrest of Imran on August 2, 2023 in Shamli. He was found in possession of counterfeit currency worth Rs 6.08 lakh. Subsequently, Kaleem was apprehended on August 16 from the same district. Tehseem’s name surfaced during the investigation in both of these cases, prompting the STF to launch a targeted operation for his capture.
Tehseem’s alleged Pakistani connections and Iqbal Kana
According to the Special Task Force (STF), Tehseem alias Mota visited Pakistan in 2002 under the pretext of selling paan/tobacco. He reportedly stayed with a relative in Kotadu for a short period and later spent time in Lahore.
While in Lahore, he allegedly met individuals associated with a known dealer of fake Indian currency note (FICN) Iqbal Kana and his associates.
These connections are said to have influenced Tehseem’s involvement in FICN trafficking from 2002 to 2008. The STF investigation further claims that Tehseem received and circulated counterfeit currency notes during this period. The alleged consignments of FICN ranged in value from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and were reportedly sourced from contacts in Pakistan, Delhi, and Amritsar.
Tehseem also has a past record of arrests related to FICN possession in these locations in 2008. Following his release from prison in 2016, Tehseem is suspected of participating in drug supply and other illegal activities with the help of an individual named Shahid.
Shahid reportedly fled to Pakistan after facing legal charges in India and is said to be involved in cross-border smuggling and anti-national activities.
