2 weeks ago
Bengal STF probes Fort William map, photos from suspected Pakistani
Police officers in India, called the Special Task Force, caught two men near the border with Bangladesh.
The police think one of the men might be from Pakistan, and he was with a friend.
When the police searched the men's belongings, they found a map and pictures of Fort William, an important army building in Kolkata.
The police want to know how the men got the map and pictures and why they had them.
They also checked the men's phones and found messages and phone numbers connected to other countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Some of the messages had been deleted, which made the police even more curious.
The police think the men might have been collecting secret information about the Indian army to send to another country.
A judge sent both men to police custody for 14 days while the investigation continues.
The investigation is still very new, and the police say no final answers have been found yet.
West Bengal STF arrested suspected Pakistani national Rana Rauf Khalid alias Wahab Alam and alleged associate Mohammad Ijaz in Habra while they tried to reach the Bangladesh border via Jessore Road.
A map and photographs of Fort William, the Indian Army's Eastern Command headquarters in Kolkata, were recovered from the accused, and investigators are probing how the material was obtained.
Mobile phones allegedly contained social media chats and telephone numbers linked to Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, some of which had been deleted.
The STF suspects Rauf has links with Pakistan's ISI and is examining alleged collection of information on military movements and infrastructure, along with a possible wider network and a fake Indian identity document racket.
Both accused were remanded to 14-day police custody by a Barasat court, while the STF probes a possible larger operation ahead of Independence Day on August 15.
- Who
- West Bengal Special Task Force (STF); suspects Rana Rauf Khalid alias Wahab Alam (suspected Pakistani national) and his alleged associate Mohammad Ijaz.
- What
- Investigation into a map and photographs of Fort William recovered from the accused and suspected cross-border intelligence-gathering.
- Where
- Habra in North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, near the Bangladesh border; the probe also covers the Petrapole and Ghojadanga border areas and Fort William in Kolkata.
- When
- Arrests were made late Tuesday (August 11); the investigation was ongoing as of Thursday, August 13.
- Why
- The accused allegedly tried to reach the Bangladesh border while in possession of sensitive military material, with suspected links to Pakistan's ISI and a possible operation ahead of Independence Day on August 15.
Key facts
- Arrested suspects
- Rana Rauf Khalid alias Wahab Alam (suspected Pakistani national) and Mohammad Ijaz
- Arrest location
- Habra, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal
- Recovered items
- Map and photographs of Fort William
- Fort William
- Indian Army's Eastern Command headquarters in Kolkata
- Suspect's background
- Suspected Pakistani national from Hafizabad, Faisalabad district; allegedly entered India in 2012 via Nepal and lived in Kolkata's Topsia
- Phones contained
- Social media chats and numbers linked to Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
- Court order
- 14-day police custody granted by Barasat court
- Investigation status
- Early stage; possible larger operation ahead of Independence Day (August 15) under probe; military intelligence agencies contacted
Quotes
Senior STF official
West Bengal Special Task Force official involved in the investigation
“One of the important aspects being examined is how the map and photographs of Fort William came into the possession of the accused, and whether these were part of any information‑gathering activity, "the STF official told PTI."”
deccanchronicle.com
telegraphindia.com
theprint.in
“The deleted chats and numbers are being examined carefully. We are trying to establish the contacts, the nature of communication and whether any information was shared through these channels, "the official said."”
deccanchronicle.com
theprint.in
Sources
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