The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Visakhapatnam has sentenced Altaf Hussain Ghanchi, also known as Shakeel, to five and a half years in prison for espionage activities linked to Pakistan.
According to the NIA, Shakeel misused Indian SIM cards and social media platforms to conduct spying operations on behalf of Pakistan. During the trial, he admitted to the charges, which included unauthorized use of SIM cards and one-time passwords (OTPs) to facilitate intelligence sharing with Pakistani operatives.
The special court convicted Shakeel under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), sentencing him to five years and six months imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 5,000. Additionally, he was penalised under Section 66C of the Information Technology Act, 2000, receiving two and a half years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. Both sentences will run concurrently, with a maximum term of five and a half years.
The investigation revealed that the Indian SIM cards used by Shakeel were originally seized from fishermen arrested by the Pakistani Navy in deep-sea fishing operations. These SIM cards and mobile phones were later activated by Shakeel to aid espionage activities within India.
Further inquiry confirmed that Shakeel inserted these Indian SIM cards into his mobile device, generated OTPs, and shared them with Pakistani intelligence operatives. This enabled the operation of Indian WhatsApp numbers from across the border.
These Indian numbers were then used by Pakistani agents under false identities to contact personnel from Indian defence establishments with the intent to extract sensitive and classified defence information. Such acts posed a direct threat to India’s unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty.
The NIA stated that it remains committed to combating cyber-enabled and cross-border terrorist and espionage activities, ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice through relentless efforts.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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