Satendra Siwal, the Indian Embassy Employee, posted in the Indian Mission in the Moscow, arrested for spying for Pakistan. He is said to have taken money from ISI handler to steal confidential information/ documents and leak them to Pakistan.
He’s not the first Pakistani spy caught by India, and he won’t be the last.
Since independence in 1947, both, India and Pakistan have been spying each other, with the aim of not getting caught.
Siwal arrested in India’s Meerut, and being questioned by officers.
He was posted to Moscow Three years back. He was appointed by MEA, India. MEA runs the Bureau of Security which recruits security staff for the Mission. Usually, Police constables and Sub-constables are chosen from the Indian Police Force to serve at Indian Mission abroad to look after the security of the mission and staff working there.
ISI handles use money and honey trap for recruitment. In this case it’s money.
Earlier such operations were limited to Indian High Commission in Pakistan but now they are being extended to Indian Mission in friendly countries too.
In 2021, Siwal was sent to Moscow, on deputation, as a security assistant. It’s not clear when the ISI turned him, but he came on radar on Indian security agencies, and they got intel that Siwal was a spy. He was passing sensitive information to ISI handler. This is linked to Indian foreign and defense ministry.
The charges are, they sold Indian secrets to Pakistan. He was in touch with female ISI handler who lured him with money.
What kind of Indian Embassy information did he give away?
According to one report, he had access to intel about the movement in deployment of Indian troops and pass on this sensitive information to his handler in exchange of money. He has multiple exchanges with his handler in Pakistan. On the basis of these intel, he was put under electronic surveillance.
Upon questioning, report says he has confessed to spying for Pakistan. Formal charges will follow.
Officials have recovered two mobile phones from him. They are going through their bank accounts to assess how much money he got from Pakistan.
Pakistan has a long history of such operations.
> In 2017, ISI bid to honeytrap 3 Indian officials in Islamabad
> In 2010, another diplomat was arrested. She too worked in the Indian High Commission in the “Press” division. She was arrested for leaking “classified” information.
India has always responded quickly on such occasions. Although Siwal has been neutralized, India must remain vigilant. ISI is attempting to harm India in every possible way, including using Indian citizens as weapons.
