MEA aware of Pak spy Satendra Siwal’s arrest; working with investigating authorities

The ministry of external affairs said it is aware of the arrest of Satendra Siwal, an employee of the Indian Embassy in Moscow, who was allegedly spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI.

The MEA continues to work with the investigative authorities on the matter, news agencies reported citing sources. The Anti-Terrorist Squad of the Uttar Pradesh police arrested Siwal, a resident of Shahmahiuddinpur village in Hapur, in Lucknow. The ATS said Satendra Siwal was involved in anti-India activities passing on confidential information to his ISI handlers.

Satendra Siwal has been working as the India-based security assistant at the Indian Embassy in Moscow since 2021. He was arrested after he could not give any satisfactory answers to the questions posed by the ATS during the interrogation.

In a statement, ATS said its electronic and physical surveillance found that he was communicating with the network of the ISI handlers. Information that he passed on was regarding the strategic activities of the defence ministry, the external affairs minister and Indian military establishments. He was spying in exchange for money, the ATS revealed.

Who is Satendra Siwal arrested on charges of espionage?

Satendra Siwal is an Indian national, a resident of Shahmahiuddinpur village in Hapur.

Satendra Siwal has been working as the India-Based Security Assistant at the Indian Embassy in Moscow from 2021.

The ATS said it had information from secret sources that ISI handlers have been luring some external ministry staff with money to disclose strategic information — in a major threat to India’s security.

Satendra Siwal is one of the MEA staff who was in contact with ISI handlers, the UP ATS said citing their surveillance.

Satendra Siwal was called for interrogation and during the questioning, his answers were not satisfactory. On deeper questioning, Siwal admitted to having spied for ISI.