Army Counter-Intelligence Unit, Pune, Helps Delhi Police Special Cell Arrest Man Spying For Pakistan

Mubarak Ansari
Pune/New Delhi, 17 April 2021: Action on information from the Pune unit of the Army Counter-Intelligence, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested a 35-year-old for allegedly spying for Pakistan.

According to police, the arrested person Harpal Singh S/o Sinda Singh, who was working as a farm machinery operator to dupe the law enforcement agencies. “We have seized incriminating documents containing confidential details related to Indian Army, BSF and vital installations, mobile phone and SIM cards used by him to contact his Pakistani handlers, have been recovered from him. A huge amount of money was being paid to him through Hawala channels for conveying sensitive information to foreign Intelligence agency”, DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Special Cell, Delhi Police.

According to police, while working with the Central Intelligence agencies, SWR/Special Cell, Delhi Police received a secret input that one Harpal Singh, a resident of Mehndipur in Patti tahsil of Taran Taran district, Punjab, is having links with Intelligence Officer of foreign countries and he has been receiving funds from his handlers through illegal means for conveying sensitive information, which concerns to National Security. Therefore, FIR no. 103/2021, U/s 3/4/5/9 Official Secrets Act r/w 120B IPC, was registered at PS Special Cell, Delhi on April 11.

“The case was registered on the basis of information and surveillance, mounted by the team of SWR, Special Cell, Delhi Police and Military Intelligence, Pune, on Harpal Singh through technical and manual means and information was collected regarding the movement of suspect Harpal Singh. During the process, it came to knowledge that he is working as a farm machinery operator and doing fencing work at the Indo-Pak border and there he found and created a way to transfer the secret information/documents across the border. On further surveillance, it was revealed that he used to work on a Combine harvesting machine to cut the wheat in present days to dupe the law enforcement agencies”, DCP Yadav added.

Police officials said that after getting information that Harpal Singh will reach Delhi to hand over some secret documents, a trap was laid on April 12 and he was apprehended.

He has studied till 8th Std. Out of four siblings, Harpal Singh working as a spy for foreign Intelligence agency found a way to earn easy money and at the same time, he was looking out for prospects who could join him in this espionage operation. There are cases of attempt to murder and quarrel registered against Harpal Singh in Punjab.

According to Special Cell, Harpal Singh sent secret/sensitive information through different digital channels to his Pakistan-based handler namely Jaspal of Lahore, Pakistan. He further disclosed that he was about to send/convey the recovered secret information to his handlers. In the past also, he had sent several videos and information to his handler and received a handsome remuneration for the same.

In a press release, Delhi Police stated, “Harpal Singh been born and brought in villages adjoining the Indo-Pak borders, he was very well versed with details and locations of the Indian troops posted there. He found a source to earn a lot of money when he came across his handler namely Jaspal through Messenger App. The said Jaspal Singh motivated him and was able to radicalize him by citing various atrocities committed upon their community and persuaded him to work for him. The accused later came to know that Jaspal was based in Pakistan and working for their Intelligence agency. Ever since then he has been working for him and has been supplying him with confidential information of the Indian security troops. Harpal Singh has been receiving money from his handler through Hawala for funding the espionage operation. Harpal Singh got the chance to meet his handler during his visit to Oman. He has also provided his handler with access to India based mobile numbers and has also been using such numbers for himself for communicating through WhatsApp so that they do not get caught.

Forensic analysis of seized mobile phones is being conducted to unearth the entire network and conspiracy in this case. Identities and roles of other foreign nationals involved in the conspiracy are also being ascertained. Further investigation is in progress.”