An Indian embassy staff member posted in Moscow was arrested on January 28 from his native place in Uttar Pradesh for divulging sensitive Indian military information. The man was allegedly lured into a web of espionage by the Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), investigators revealed this week.
Honey trap
Satyendra Siwal, a 27-year-old security assistant stationed at the Indian Embassy in Moscow since 2021, as per media reports, has confessed to divulging information about Indian military installations and foreign affairs matters.
“During his tenure in Moscow, he came into contact with a woman who claimed to be from Canada and developed a relationship with her, despite being married and having children,” revealed investigators.
The woman, allegedly working for Pakistan’s ISI, enticed Siwal into revealing classified data in exchange for money (₹25 Lakh or $2.5 million) through her contacts.
“Siwal was offered money in exchange for information through her contacts,” said an Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officer, as reported by The Times Of India.
ATS officers discovered multiple payments from unidentified sources in Siwal’s Indian bank account in Moscow, which he couldn’t explain.
The ATS has now requested Moscow to authenticate details of Siwal’s bank accounts there.
Charges Siwal faces
Siwal now faces charges under section 121A (conspiracy against the state) and the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
UP ATS ADG Mohit Agarwal confirmed that all of Siwal’s electronic devices have been confiscated and sent for a forensic audit to retrieve any erased or tampered data. Quoting ATS sources, the publication reported that ISI operatives have been trying to lure Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) employees with financial incentives for sensitive information.
(With inputs from agencies)
