Pathankot Man Arrested For Spying, Sharing Forces’ Movement With Pakistan Handlers

Chandigarh/Pathankot, May 21: Punjab Police on Thursday arrested a man from Pathankot for allegedly spying for Pakistan-based handlers by transmitting live footage of Army and paramilitary movement along the National Highway-44.

The accused, identified as Baljit Singh of Chakk Dhariwal village, had allegedly installed an internet-based CCTV camera at a shop near a bridge on the Pathankot-Jammu highway to monitor security forces’ movement, police said.

During preliminary investigation, police found that the live feed from the camera was being shared with handlers based in Pakistan. Officials said the accused confessed during questioning that he had installed the CCTV camera in January this year on the directions of an unidentified person based in Dubai.

Police claimed Baljit Singh received Rs 40,000 for the task and remained in contact with the foreign handler for further instructions.

The CCTV camera used in the alleged espionage activity has been recovered from his possession, police added.

The arrest comes a month after Punjab Police busted two ISI-backed espionage modules allegedly using high-tech, China-made solar-powered CCTV cameras to transmit live feeds of sensitive military locations to Pakistan-based handlers. (Agencies)