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Mint
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Pakistan spying case: NIA conducts searches at 15 locations in Delhi, Maharashtra, 6 other states
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted a massive search operation at 15 locations across eight states on Saturday in connection with a Pakistan-linked espionage case. According to news agency ANI, searches were conducted at the premises of suspects linked with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) in the states of Delhi, Maharashtra (Mumbai), Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam and West Bengal. NIA teams reportedly seized several electronic gadgets and sensitive financial documents, along with other incriminating materials, during the searches. "These are being extensively examined for clues to the espionage racket being run by Pakistan-based operatives as part of an anti-India terror conspiracy," the report added. The NIA's investigations revealed that the suspects targeted in the searches allegedly had connections with Pakistani operatives, and acted as financial conduits for carrying out espionage activities in India. The searches followed recent arrest of a trooper of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for spying for Pakistan, officials told news agency PTI. The NIA had registered a case on May 20, following the arrest of the suspended assistant sub inspector (ASI) of CRPF, Moti Ram Jat, who had allegedly shared sensitive information with the PIOs since 2023 and had received funds through various conduits in India in lieu of leaking classified information related to national security. Jat had been dismissed from service by the CRPF, PTI reported. The anti-terror agency is continuing with its investigation in the case, registered under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Official Secrets Act and the Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act, the statement said. Post Operation Sindoor, police across states are nabbing Pakistani spies. On May 18, the Haryana Police arrested several individuals, including YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who allegedly performed espionage activities for Pakistan. The Delhi Police also arrested a man, Kasim, from Rajasthan for allegedly aiding Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) by supplying Indian mobile SIM cards for espionage activities, officials said on Thursday.
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Delhi HC upholds dismissal of Christian officer from Army, says ‘keeping religion over superior's command is act of indiscipline'
The Delhi High Court has refused to set aside the dismissal of a Christian officer of the Indian Army who had abstained from attending a pooja held as part of the regimental parade. The court held that commanding officers are to lead by example, placing unit cohesion above individual religious preferences. Samuel Kamalesan was commissioned into the Indian Army on March 11, 2017, in the rank of a lieutenant in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, which comprises three squadrons of Sikh, Jat, and Rajput personnel. He was made the troop leader of Squadron B, which comprises Sikh personnel. It was his case that his regiment maintained only a mandir and a gurudwara for its religious needs and parades, and not a 'sarv dharm sthal' (all-religion site), which would serve people of all faiths. He also highlighted that the term 'sarv dharm sthal' is not used in the regiment, which otherwise refers to the weekly religious parades as 'mandir gurudwara parade'. He also said there was no church on the premises. In its May 30 order, the court also held that keeping religion above a lawful command from a superior was 'clearly an act of discipline'. In June 2017, after he respectfully refused the regiment's commandant's instruction to enter the inner sanctum sanctorum and participate in the pooja during one of the weekly religious parades, as a mark of respect, as well as the fact that his monotheistic protestant Christian faith did not permit him to do so, he claims to have started facing 'extreme disciplinary action', including being passed over for promotions and training courses, and ultimately his dismissal in 2021. Kamlesan claimed that his Annual Confidential Report (ACR) for 2017 and 2018 initiated by the regiment commandant 'contained adverse remarks over his religious beliefs'. To establish this argument, Kamalesan also pointed out that with a change in the commandant in June 2019, his ACR improved. In January 2019, disciplinary action against him was initiated with the issuance of a showcause notice for abstaining from pooja and he was finally terminated on March 3, 2021. The Centre argued that Kamalesan had failed to attend the regimental parades despite multiple attempts by the commandant and other officers to explain the importance of regimentation. It claimed that 'troops derive motivation, pride, and generate their war cry from devotional practices to a deity, and when an officer distances himself from these practices, it adversely affects the morale of the troops, undermining regimentation, cohesion, and unity during combat'. The Centre had stressed that 'this is an essential professional responsibility and military duty of the petitioner and not a religious obligation.' A division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, while upholding the dismissal, reasoned in its order, '…while there can be no denial of the fact that the petitioner has the right to practice his religious beliefs, however, at the same time, being the Commanding Officer of his troops, he carries additional responsibilities as he has to not only lead them in war but also has to foster bonds, motivate personnel, and cultivate a sense of belonging in the troops…. In the present case, the question is not of religious freedom at all; it is a question of following a lawful command of a superior…In the present case, the petitioner has kept his religion above a lawful command from his superior. This clearly is an act of indiscipline.' Noting that the standard of discipline required for the armed forces is different, the bench observed, 'The motivation that is to be instilled in the troops may necessitate actions beyond ordinary civilian standards…It is for the Armed Forces and the military leadership to determine what actions they feel are important for its Commanding Officers to take in order to effectively motivate the troops under their command, and what may act as a demotivating factor for the Forces or to the bond and unflinching command that the Commanding Officer must yield over the troops. The Courts cannot second-guess the same.' 'The petitioner's refusal to fully participate in weekly Regimental religious parades, despite counseling at multiple levels of command and multiple opportunities being given to him for compliance, demonstrates an unwillingness to adapt to the requirements of military service and the Armed Forces…While we recognize the importance of religious freedom, the petitioner's position as a Commanding Officer required him to prioritize unit cohesion and the morale of his troops. His persistent refusal to fully participate in weekly regimental religious parades, despite extensive counseling and opportunities for compliance, justified the action taken by the respondent,' the court held. Upholding the Army's decision to not conduct a court martial before his dismissal from service, the bench held, 'As the religious sentiments and the morale of the troops were in question, the same made a formal Court Martial proceedings unsuitable for resolution. Therefore, in the specific context of military discipline and the unique circumstances of the present case involving religious beliefs and regimental cohesion, the Chief of Army Staff's satisfaction that conducting a Court Martial would be both inexpedient and impracticable, given the sensitive nature of the religious issue, appears find that in such circumstances, a Court Martial might have led to unnecessary controversies, which could be detrimental to the secular fabric of the Armed Forces' The order further records the bench's observation that, 'While Regiments in our Armed Forces may historically bear names associated with religion or region, this does not undermine the secular ethos of the institution, or of personnel who are posted in these regiments. There are also War Cries which, to an outsider, may sound religious in nature, however, they serve a purely motivational function, intended to foster solidarity and unity amongst the troops…A higher and heightened responsibility is cast on Commanding Officers to ensure that troops under their command are provided with facilities, when required, to observe their respective religious practices. The Commanding Officers are to lead by example and not by division; and by placing the cohesion of the Unit above individual religious preferences, particularly when commanding troops who they will lead in combat situations and war.'
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Delhi high court upholds Army officer's termination for refusing to attend religious parade
Representative image NEW DELHI: Delhi high court has upheld the 2017 termination of an Army officer who refused to participate in regimental weekly religious parades on the grounds that he belonged to the Christian faith. Samuel Kamalesan had challenged his dismissal without pension and gratuity, and sought reinstatement in service. In a May 30 order, a division bench of Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Shalinder Kaur said: "Our armed forces comprise personnel of all religions, castes, creeds, regions and faiths, whose sole motto is to safeguard the country from external aggressions... They are united by their uniform rather than divided by their religion, caste or region. " 'Kamalesan's behaviour was against secular norms of Army' Kamalesan was commissioned in Army in March 2017 as a lieutenant in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, which comprises three squadrons of Sikh, Jat and Rajput personnel. He was made the troop leader of Squadron B, which comprises Sikh personnel. In his plea, Kamalesan stated that his regiment maintained only a mandir and a gurdwara for its religious needs and parades, and not a sarv dharm sthal, which would serve persons of all faiths. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like "허리협착증" 통증으로 걷기 힘들 때 비수술 보존 치료로 회복 가능! ort02a 지금 문의 Undo He noted that there was no church on the premises. The bench observed that while regiments in the armed forces may historically bear names associated with religion or region, it does not undermine the secular ethos of the institution or of personnel posted in these regiments. "There are also war cries which, to an outsider, may sound religious in nature; however, they serve a purely motivational function, intended to foster solidarity and unity among the troops. At the same time, the armed forces also give due respect to the religious beliefs of their personnel," the bench noted. HC observed that Kamalesan kept his religion above a lawful command from his superior, which was clearly an act of indiscipline. "While, to a civilian, it may appear harsh and even sound far-fetched, the standard of discipline required for the armed forces is different," it said. The bench stated the termination order specifically noted that Kamalesan's undisciplined behaviour was against all secular norms of Indian Army and adversely affected the traditional camaraderie between officers and troops of the regiment. Noting that Army organised several counselling sessions for Kamalesan, the court concluded that the decision of termination was taken after careful consideration of the specific circumstances of the case and potential consequences of different courses of action.
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
NIA searches 15 locations across eight States in Pak.-linked spying case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday (May 31, 2025) conducted a search operation at 15 locations in eight States in a Pakistan-linked espionage case. The searches were carried out on the premises of suspects linked to the Pakistan intelligence operatives in Delhi, Maharashtra (Mumbai), Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and West Bengal. 'NIA teams have seized several electronic gadgets and sensitive financial documents during the searches. These are being extensively examined for clues to the espionage racket being run by Pakistan-based operatives as part of an anti-India terror conspiracy,' said the agency. 'The suspects whose premises were searched had connections with Pakistani operatives, and acted as financial conduits for carrying out espionage activities in India,' it said, adding that the NIA registered the case on May 20. The case was instituted following the arrest of an accused person who had been sharing sensitive information with Pakistan intelligence operatives since 2023 and had received funds through various conduits in India in lieu of leaking classified information related to national security. CRPF assistant sub-inspector held Earlier this week, the NIA arrested an assistant sub-inspector of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for allegedly 'sharing sensitive information with Pakistan Intelligence officers'. The CRPF dismissed assistant sub-inspector Moti Ram Jat on May 21, based on the findings. A resident of Rajasthan, Jat had been posted with the 116 Battalion of the CRPF in Jammu & Kashmir, and had been allegedly passing on information to Pakistani officials since 2023. The battalion is deployed in the Pahalgam area, where 26 people were gunned down by terrorists on April 22. It is alleged that the Pakistani officials had approached the CRPF staffer via social media, posing as a woman, and later extracted sensitive information, including on the movement of convoys.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
NIA conducting searches at multiple locations in Delhi, 2 other cities days after arresting CRPF ASI for sharing classified info
Multiple teams of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are on Saturday conducting searches in Delhi, Chandigarh and Kolkata, days after arresting an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for allegedly sharing classified information with intelligence officers in Pakistan. Earlier this week, the NIA said it had arrested CRPF ASI Moti Ram Jat from Delhi and was questioning him. The central agency alleged that he shared classified information with Pakistani agents, who posed as TV journalists, and was taking funds from them. He was posted with a CRPF battalion in J&K's Pahalgam and was transferred to Delhi five days before the April 22 terror attack on the tourist destination in which 26 civilians lost their lives. On Saturday, a NIA spokesperson said, 'We are conducting searches in 15 locations and will share further information later.' During questioning, Jat claimed that he was allegedly approached by a woman posing as a Chandigarh-based news reporter from a leading TV news channel, who requested that he share some information. 'After some messages and phone calls, including over video, Jat allegedly started sharing classified documents with her. After two-three months, a man, a Pakistan intelligence officer, started talking to him, posing as a journalist of the same news channel,' said a CRPF source. 'After one or two months, they started giving Rs 3,500 to him on the fourth day of every month, and also Rs 12,000 for crucial information. He received the money in his and his wife's accounts,' claimed the source. He was remanded in the agency's custody until June 6 by the Special Court at Patiala House Courts. 'We have arrested Jat. He was actively involved in espionage activity and had been sharing classified information related to national security with PIOs (Pakistani intelligence officers) since 2023. We have also found that he was receiving funds from the PIOs through various conduits,' an NIA spokesperson said. He has been dismissed from service. A CRPF spokesperson said Jat was found to have violated established norms and protocols during 'sustained monitoring' of his social media activity in coordination with central agencies.
