UP ATS nabs Delhi man over alleged Pakistan links, espionage charges

According to the ATS, Harun was in regular contact with Hussain and allegedly collected money from individuals seeking visas.

A 45-year-old scrap dealer from Delhi’s Seelampur area has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on charges of espionage and alleged links to Pakistani operatives.

The accused, Mohammad Harun, was taken into custody from his residence and later produced before a court in Lucknow, states a News18 report.

According to officials, Harun is suspected of reportedly working with Muzammal Hussain, an employee at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, allegedly to secure Pakistani visas illegally in exchange for money.

He has also been accused of sharing sensitive information deemed detrimental to India’s internal security.

Hussain was recently declared persona non grata and expelled from India.

Harun's family, however, insists he is innocent and claims he has been framed.

His brother, Sahid, addressing the media, said that two men in plain clothes, identifying themselves as officials from the passport office, arrived at their home claiming they were verifying details of people who had recently returned from Pakistan.

Harun, who had travelled to Pakistan from April 5 to April 25 to visit his second wife, reportedly went with the men and never returned.

“We tried calling him, but his phone was later switched off. The local police didn’t help. Eventually, we found out he had been taken to Lucknow,” Sahid has been cited in an ANI report.

Harun’s mother, Rukaiya Begum, alleges that her son had fallen into a trap. She also blamed a man named Mujammil, said to be associated with visa-related work, for misleading him.

“He used to go to Pakistan to meet his second wife. If there were concerns, why wasn’t he stopped earlier?” she remarked.

Harun’s wife, Shabana, also defended him, saying that all his travel documents were cleared through official channels.

“My husband is a heart patient. They arrested him without letting us meet him. He’s innocent,” she said.

According to the ATS, Harun was in regular contact with Hussain and allegedly collected money from individuals seeking visas. The funds were deposited into specific accounts and, in some cases, delivered to contacts on Hussain’s behalf.

Despite being aware of Hussain’s diplomatic status and nationality, Harun allegedly continued to provide him with sensitive information.

In a separate operation in Varanasi’s Adampur area, the ATS also nabbed another suspect, identified as Tufail, accused of being part of pro-Pakistan WhatsApp groups and allegedly involved in activities aimed at undermining India’s unity and sovereignty.

The arrests are part of a wider crackdown on suspected espionage networks and individuals believed to be acting on behalf of Pakistani handlers within Indian territory.