Rajasthan CID busts alleged ISI funding network, arrests key money trail operative

The Rajasthan Police's CID (Intelligence) has unearthed a major network involved in anti-national activities by arresting a man accused of operating a funding channel for Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, officials said on Thursday.

According to officials, the accused, identified as Rafiq Chand Shaikh, son of Chand Miyan Shaikh and a resident of Harsul in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district, facilitated the transfer of funds from ISI handlers to individuals suspected of being involved in espionage activities in India.

The arrest marks a significant development in an ongoing investigation under the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

Earlier in the case, Jhabra Ram, a resident of Rajasthan's Jaisalmer, and Sumit Kumar, a Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) employee posted at the Indian Air Force Station in Dibrugarh, Assam, had been arrested for passing sensitive information related to the Indian armed forces to ISI handlers.

During the course of the investigation, CID (Intelligence) officials traced the financial trail and found that the money sent by ISI operatives in exchange for espionage activities was routed through Rafiq Chand Shaikh, son of Chand Miyan Shaikh.

According to the investigating agency, sustained interrogation of Rafiq Chand Shaikh revealed that he had allegedly been in contact with an ISI handler for nearly four years.

Officials stated that, acting on instructions received through a network connected via social media platforms, he opened multiple bank accounts in his own name as well as in the names of other individuals to facilitate the transfer of funds to people allegedly engaged in espionage.

After verifying the alleged financial transactions and establishing what investigators described as his role in the network, the Rajasthan CID (Intelligence) arrested Rafiq Chand Shaikh on June 30.

Officials alleged that he had been functioning as a funding agent for Pakistan's intelligence agency and was responsible for routing money to suspected operatives inside the country.

According to CID (Intelligence), the investigation is continuing, and officials are carrying out a detailed probe into other individuals who may be connected to the alleged ISI funding network.

Authorities are also examining additional financial transactions and possible links in an effort to uncover the full extent of the network and identify all those allegedly involved.

"Except for the headline, no changes have been made to the story, as it has been sourced from IANS."