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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a Pakistan-backed spy accused of clandestinely passing sensitive security-related information to Pakistan Intelligence Officers (PIOs) as part of an anti-India terror conspiracy. The arrested accused, identified as Zafar Riaz, alias Rizvi, a resident of Kolkata, had a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against him. Proceedings were also underway to declare him a Proclaimed Offender (PO) when he was taken into custody. He has been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Official Secrets Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P)A), according to NIA officials.
As per the NIA investigations, the accused was earlier convicted in a separate espionage case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Official Secrets Act. He was married to a Pakistani national, and his children are also Pakistani citizens. The NIA further revealed that Zafar had been travelling frequently between India and Pakistan since 2005. During one such visit, he was allegedly contacted and cultivated by PIOs, who lured him into espionage activities in India in exchange for financial inducements and a promise of Pakistani citizenship. Officials said he subsequently began working for the network involved in the conspiracy. The agency further stated that to facilitate other espionage and terror operatives, the accused shared One-Time Passwords (OTPs) of Indian telecom mobile numbers with a PIO, enabling the activation of WhatsApp accounts. These accounts were allegedly used for covert communication with one Motiram Jat, another accused in the case, who was also engaged in passing sensitive security-related inputs to the PIO. The NIA said investigations are continuing to trace others involved in the espionage racket and to unveil the larger conspiracy behind the plot. Further investigation is still underway. (ANI)
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