2 alleged ISI informers arrested for leaking defence documents to Pak official

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Thursday detained a staff of the Pakistan High Commission over allegations of spying and stealing defence documents. Two men from Rajasthan, who are suspected to be ISI informers, were also arrested for leaking sensitive defence documents to the Pak official.

The official, who has been identified as Mehmood Akhtar, was questioned by the police over the matter but was soon let off owing to the diplomatic immunity he holds.

"The spies are residents of Rajasthan working for Pakistan's ISI. The spies were in touch with the staff here at Pakistan High Commission and were providing sensitive information," said a senior police officer.

According to reports, the crime branch of the Delhi police detained Akhtar, acting on a tip-off and found some maps in his possession along with documents on force deployment. The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over the matter and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar told him that the Pakistan mission staffer has been declared persona non grata for espionage.

The arrests comes amid rising tensions between the two countries over the Uri attack and the recent increase in ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops.

Only last week, a Pakistani spy was arrested from Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district for passing on vital information regarding deployment and movement of security forces to Pakistan.

Two Pakistani SIM cards and a map showing deployment of security forces was recovered from his possession.