The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over investigations in an alleged Pakistan-linked espionage network that filmed sensitive locations across the National Capital Region.
Earlier, the central agency acquired complete case details of the Ghaziabad police probe, analysed the material before taking a final call, a senior police official said on Thursday.
According to the official, the central anti-terror agency has already initiated a preliminary assessment of the case records due to its suspected cross-border links and multi-state ramifications.
“The NIA has sought all relevant details, including the FIR, arrest records, digital evidence and interrogation findings. We are in the process of handing over investigations to the central agency,” CP Ghaziabad J Ravinder Goud, confirmed.
The case was initially cracked by the Ghaziabad police last month after confidential intelligence inputs indicated that videos and live footage of strategically sensitive sites were allegedly being recorded and transmitted to handlers based in Pakistan.
An FIR was registered earlier at Kaushambi police station under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other relevant sections. So far, 21 accused, including a woman, have been arrested in multiple raids conducted on March 14, 20, 22 and 24.
Investigators suspect the module was engaged in covert surveillance of railway stations, security force establishments and other strategically important locations in Ghaziabad, Delhi, Sonipat and adjoining areas.
Police officials said the network allegedly installed CCTV cameras at vantage points near railway stations and other key sites to enable continuous monitoring of movement patterns and activity. Several mobile phones recovered from the accused were also found to contain videos and photographs of sensitive installations.
The breakthrough in the case came with the arrest of Suhail Malik alias Romeo, originally from Bijnor; Iram alias Mehak, a resident of Sambhal; and their associates Praveen, Raj Valmiki, Shiva Valmiki and Ritik Gangwar on March 14. Their interrogation subsequently led investigators to other suspected members of the network, exposing what officials described as a wider reconnaissance and surveillance module.
Officials said forensic examination of the seized electronic devices is underway to determine the exact nature of the targets, the frequency of data transmission and the possible end use of the footage. The funding trail is also under scrutiny, with investigators suspecting that money was allegedly routed from Pakistan-based handlers to operatives in India for installing surveillance devices and collecting visual intelligence.
A senior NIA officer said, “After analysing the case details we will examine the larger conspiracy angle, including the possibility of similar modules operating in other states, the identity of foreign handlers and whether any hostile intelligence agency was directly involved.”
The agency is also likely to probe whether the surveillance activity aimed at mapping troop movement routes, railway logistics and defence-linked infrastructure. The possible NIA takeover marks a significant escalation in the case and reflects the seriousness with which security agencies are viewing the alleged espionage network.
www.hindustantimes.com
#Paklinked #spy #network #NCR #NIA #takes #probe #analysing #case #details
