Pathankot police arrest shopkeeper in espionage case

Chandigarh: A day after the arrest of Baljit Singh in an alleged espionage case linked to Pakistan-based handlers, Pathankot police on Friday arrested a shopkeeper for allegedly facilitating the installation of a CCTV camera used to monitor the movement of Army and paramilitary forces along the Pathankot-Jammu highway.Ankit Sharma, a resident of Firozpur Kalan village in Pathankot district, was arrested after investigators found his alleged involvement during the probe into the case registered at Sujanpur police station on Thursday under sections of the BNS and the Official Secrets Act. According to the police, Sharma owned the shop located along the NH-44 highway between Bridge Nos. 4 and 5 in Sujanpur, where an internet-enabled CCTV camera had allegedly been installed to conduct surveillance on security forces. Police claimed the live feed from the cameras was being electronically transmitted to Pakistan-based handlers and intelligence agencies. The CIA Staff received intelligence inputs on May 21 suggesting that Baljit Singh, a resident of Chak Dhariwal village in Pathankot district, along with his associates, had links with anti-national elements and was allegedly involved in sharing sensitive information regarding security force movement. During interrogation, Baljit Singh allegedly confessed that the CCTV camera was installed in January this year at the directions of an unidentified Dubai-based person. Police claimed he received Rs 40,000 for the task. Police said Sharma was aware that the CCTV feed was being shared with anti-national elements. Police also recovered the CCTV camera and an air-fibre modem from the shop after the accused allegedly removed and concealed the equipment, fearing cordon and search operations (CASO) in the area. Police are also probing the role of two other suspects in the case who are already lodged in jail in an NDPS Act case.