The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested another man from Mumbai on Tuesday, who allegedly assisted Mohd Raees in passing sensitive information to Pakistan’s Interservice Intelligence (ISI).
The arrested individual, identified as Salman, 25, had aided Mohd Raees, a native of Gonda, who was apprehended by the ATS on Sunday for his suspected links with the Pakistani intelligence agency.
According to the ATS, based on Raees’ statement, a person named Armaan, who had influenced and manipulated him, was also arrested on July 17.
Officials have obtained Salman’s transit remand, and he will be taken to the ATS headquarters in Lucknow for interrogation, where he will be confronted with Raees and Armaan.
Sources indicate that Salman’s name emerged during Raees’ interrogation and the recovery of data from his mobile phone. “Raees had forwarded photographs and videos of Babina Cantonment in Jhansi to his handlers in Pakistan, which were captured and filmed by Salman. Raees had received Rs 15,000 on two occasions,” sources said.
Officials said that both Salman and Armaan would be remanded and subsequently questioned.
Furthermore, Raees travelled to Mumbai in 2018, where he worked as a food delivery boy. Later, he secured a job in veneer polishing at a seven-star hotel in Mumbai, where he encountered Armaan, who allegedly indoctrinated him. During the interrogation, Raees informed ATS officials that he had asked Armaan to help him find employment in Saudi Arabia.
“Armaan then provided Raees with a telephone number, informing him that the person on the other end could arrange a job for him in Dubai. In 2022, Raees received a WhatsApp call from Pakistan, where the caller informed him that a man named Hussain would contact him and provide details about the work. Hussain subsequently called Raees, claiming to be a spy from Pakistan, and offered him a substantial amount if he assisted,” sources said.
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