Pak spy arrested in Bengal for ISI links visited Kolkata six times since 2014-15

Pakistani national Rana Rouf Khalid, 36, has been arrested in Bengal on suspicion of having ties to Pakistan's ISI. The arrest took place on Wednesday. According to Bengal STF sources, Khalid had visited Kolkata at least six times since 2014-15, each visit lasting between one to two months. His last visit was in January.

Khalid, introduced as a "brother" by his aide Mohammad Ejaz Ahmed, was also registered as a voter in Kolkata. However, he was absent during a recent verification process and his name was struck off the rolls when he failed to provide his citizenship details. It was discovered that Ejaz had used his father's name, Juber Alam, to falsely present Khalid as his own son. This enabled Khalid to obtain a voter ID card, PAN card, and Aadhaar card using Ejaz's identity.

The investigation revealed that Khalid was in contact with at least five ISI handlers, some of whom operated from Kathmandu and Bangladesh. During questioning, Khalid admitted to having a dream of joining the Pakistan Army, but was unable to due to physical issues. He received karate training in Pakistan's Punjab province and had a business in Kathmandu. Khalid met Ejaz in Kathmandu and later traveled to Kolkata, entering India illegally through the Raxaul border in Bihar.

It was discovered that Khalid had business interests in Nepal, which facilitated his connection with ISI handlers. His involvement with the ISI allegedly involved sending footage of high-security zones, such as Fort William and Barrackpore cantonment, as well as railway infrastructure. However, it is believed that he did not bring all his devices during his last visit to Bengal. The STF is using technical leads to question Khalid about his activities and plans.