The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) apprehended an individual employed at the Indian Embassy in Moscow, accusing him of engaging in espionage on behalf of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. The arrest occurred in Meerut, with the detained person identified as Satendra Siwal, serving as a Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) in the Ministry of External Affairs.
The ATS initiated the operation based on intelligence received from undisclosed sources, indicating that ISI operatives were enticing employees of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs with financial rewards in return for sensitive information related to the Indian Army. The exchanged information was deemed a serious threat to both India’s internal and external security, according to the agency.
Hailing from Shahmahiuddinpur village in Hapur, Satendra Siwal emerged as a crucial figure in this espionage network. Exploiting his position at the Indian Embassy in Moscow, he allegedly extracted confidential documents. Motivated by financial gain, Siwal purportedly shared critical information regarding the strategic activities of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, and Indian military establishments with ISI handlers.
The ATS, acting on intelligence from various confidential sources, disclosed that ISI handlers were using intermediaries to entice Ministry of External Affairs employees with monetary incentives in exchange for strategically significant information about the Indian Army. This posed a substantial threat to India’s internal and external security, as stated by the agency.
Following extensive intelligence gathering and surveillance, Satendra Siwal was summoned to the ATS Field Unit in Meerut for interrogation. Failing to provide satisfactory answers during questioning, he eventually admitted to his involvement in espionage activities. Since 2021, Siwal had been employed as an India Based Security Assistant (IBSA) at the Indian Embassy in Moscow.
