Indian Diplomat’s Cook in Pak Held for Spying, Giving Info to ISI

The accused had bugged the residence of an Indian defence attaché in connivance with Pakistan’s ISI.

The cook of an Indian diplomat in Pakistan was arrested on Tuesday, 22 May, for allegedly working for Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) and leaking classified information in exchange for money, reported The Times of India.

Ramesh Singh (35), a native of Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand, was working as a cook at the diplomat’s house for nearly two years. He was arrested in a joint operation by Uttar Pradesh’s Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), military intelligence, and the Uttarakhand police from his house in Garali village.

Sources told TOI that Singh was a farmer when a relative approached him with a job offer of a cook in Pakistan. He worked as a domestic help at the residence of an Indian defence attaché in Pakistan from 2015 to 2017.

He had bugged the residence of an Indian defence attaché in connivance with Pakistan’s ISI. This compromised the position of the diplomat. Singh later returned to India in 2017 where he settled his debts to the tune of Rs 8 lakh. As of now, it is not clear how much money he had received from the ISI.

Anand Kumar, Additional Director General (law and order), to TOI

While in Pakistan, Singh came in contact with the ISI, which offered him money against classified information from the diplomat’s house. The source said Singh shared a diary and some documents of the diplomat with the ISI.

Uttar Pradesh ATS Inspector General Asim Arun told TOI that the Uttarakhand DGP had sought their help in the case a few months ago. Directorate of Military Intelligence was also roped in and collaborated investigation.

Singh was produced in Pithoragarh court on Wednesday, 23 May, from where he was taken to Lucknow on transit remand.

(With inputs from The Times of India)