Lucknow, 23 May

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Uttar Pradesh has arrested two individuals for their alleged involvement in illegal visa facilitation, sharing sensitive national security information, and promoting extremist ideologies with suspected links with Pakistan, officials said Friday.

In the first case, the ATS arrested Mohd Haroon, 45, a scrap dealer from Delhi's Seelampur, from Noida on Thursday, an official statement read.

Haroon was reportedly collaborating with Muzammal Hussain, an employee in the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, to illegally secure Pakistani visas in exchange for money, while also allegedly transmitting sensitive information deemed harmful to India's national interest.

"Haroon was reportedly in regular contact with Muzammal Hussain. Investigation suggests that Haroon's familial connections in Pakistan facilitated their initial interaction during his visits to the country and the high commission," the statement said.

Haroon allegedly worked with Hussain to collect money from multiple individuals under the pretence of arranging Pakistani visas. These funds were then deposited into various bank accounts, the statement said.

In return, Haroon reportedly received a commission and delivered cash to specified individuals or locations on Hussain's behalf.

Despite knowing Hussain's diplomatic status and Pakistani nationality, Haroon "continued to share crucial information concerning India's internal security", the ATS revealed, adding that the information was allegedly used by Hussain in his efforts to "destabilise" India.

Following the revelations, the Government of India declared Hussain persona non grata and ordered his expulsion from the country.

In a parallel operation at Adampur in Varanasi, the ATS on Thursday arrested another suspect identified as Tufail, son of Maqsood Alam, a resident of Jaitpura.

According to the ATS, Tufail was suspected of attempting to undermine India's sovereignty and unity by joining "anti-national" WhatsApp groups and forming a subversive organisation allegedly backed by Pakistani entities.

He is also accused of sharing sensitive information with Pakistani contacts.

"Tufail was reportedly in contact with numerous Pakistani individuals and was actively sharing videos of Maulana Shad Rizvi, leader of the banned Pakistani terror group Tehreek-e-Labbaik," the statement said.

"He also disseminated content promoting 'Ghazwa-e-Hind', called for revenge over the Babri Masjid incident, and advocated for the imposition of Sharia law in India," it added.

Tufail allegedly shared photographs and details of locations, including Rajghat, Namoghat, Gyanvapi mosque, Varanasi railway station, Jama Masjid, Red Fort, and Nizamuddin with Pakistani phone numbers, the ATS said.

According to ATS sources, Tufail was in contact with more than 600 Pakistani numbers, including a woman named Nafisa from Faisalabad, whose husband is reportedly a Pakistan Army officer.

Separate FIRs have been registered against both the accused at the ATS police station in Lucknow.