Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) has detained a Ghaziabad-based welder in its probe into suspicious transactions as part of an alleged conspiracy with “agents of Pakistani intelligence agencies” to “destabilise national security and economic stability”.
Riazuddin was detained by an ATS team Tuesday and is being questioned, UP Police officers told ThePrint. His family stays in Ghaziabad’s Bhojpur.
Intelligence inputs point to suspicious transactions to the tune of Rs 65-70 lakh, according to the FIR lodged in this connection on 10 November in Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar police station.
Riazuddin and Bihar resident Izrahul Hussain along with “agents of Pakistani intelligence agencies” have been named as accused by the ATS in the FIR. The ATS has slapped Section 121A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the State) of the IPC against the accused.
UP Police Special Director General, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar told ThePrint that an FIR has been lodged and that the matter is under investigation. “Media will be briefed once an arrest is made,” he said.
According to the FIR, Riazuddin has a bank account at the Canara Bank branch in Ghaziabad’s Faridnagar and was in touch with Izrahul, who hails from Chanpatia area of West Champaran district. ThePrint has a copy of the FIR.
“Intelligence (inputs) have been received that suspicious transactions to the tune of Rs 65-70 lakh have been done from different bank accounts in the bank account of Riazuddin between March and April 2022. This amount has further been transferred by Riazuddin and Izrahul to different bank accounts as part of a conspiracy with agents of Pakistani intelligence agencies,” the FIR reads.
It further states that while the bank account was in the name of Riazuddin, the phone number associated with it belonged to Izrahul.
“Izrahul’s mobile number was linked with Riazuddin’s bank account and information has been received that the account is being operated by Izrahul,” the FIR states.
“The amount deposited in the bank account and the transactions made in other bank accounts have been done to destabilise the Government of India (GoI) by impacting its security apparatus by using the money for collecting secret information about security institutions of the country and establishments and the Indian Army,” it adds.
An analysis of Riazuddin’s Canara bank account has shown suspicious transactions of around Rs 75 lakh within a month and it has come to fore that Izrahul is in touch with agents of Pakistani intelligence agencies via different (internet) applications, the FIR says.
The ATS adds that the incident is extremely serious and sensitive in view of national security.
“It is clear from the above-mentioned facts that conspiring with other anti-national elements, these suspicious persons are impacting the national security and economic stability and destabilising the GoI,” the FIR reads.
Meanwhile, a UP Police officer said that Riazuddin resided in Hapur. “His father and other family members stay in Ghaziabad’s Bhojpur area which is why he frequents the area. His house is in Hapur district’s Pilkhuwa. The ATS is questioning him and is taking the probe forward. The ATS arrived and questioned him and took his details,” the police officer said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Modinagar, Gyan Prakash Rai told ThePrint that the Ghaziabad police will cooperate with the ATS if help is sought.
(Edited by Tony Rai)