Pak man gets 14-years RI for spying

Hyderabad, Apr 30 (PTI) A Pakistani national was
Thursday convicted by a local court here in the capital
of India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh which sentenced
him to 14 years rigorous imprisonment (RI) for passing on
secrets of vital Indian defense establishments to his country.

The First Additional Metropolitan Sessions judge gave
the verdict declaring Malik Arshad Mahmood, 45, a Pakistani
national, guilty of criminal conspiracy among other charges
and sentenced him to 14 years jail.

Mahmood was arrested by the Hyderabad police five
years ago on March 8, 2004 and since then he has been in jail.

However, the court acquitted a Hyderabadi youth Milind
Dattatreya who was arrested for helping Mahmood by arranging
funds through hawala. Some others, including Bangladeshi
nationals, who are also accused in the case are at large.

Mahmood, was arrested for sending the classified
information like the defense installations located in and
around Hyderabad by e-mail to Pakistan.

According to prosecution, the Pakistani had entered
India without any valid documents and was staying in the city
since 2003. He confessed that he was imparted three months
training by Pakistani intelligence operatives Rasheed and
Liaquath before being sent to India.

Mahmood, a native of Jeetabhuta Bazar, Khanpur of
Kaarah district in Pakistan, was staying near CDR hospital in
Hyderguda locality.

He used to pass on the information to one Peerji alias
Kareem Bhai of Pakistan, reportedly heading the intelligence
operatives.

The other members of the gang involved in spying were
Shed Ali Keshwari, Rasheed, Liaguath, Peerji alias Kareem
Bhai of Pakistan and Razzak and Fazal-ur-Rehman of Bangladesh.
PTI