Court refuses bail to two accused in espionage case

A Delhi court has denied bail to two persons, including an army personnel, arrested for allegedly supplying sensitive documents to Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.
The court dismissed the bail applications of former army personnel Munawwar Ahmad Mir and Farid Ahmad, who was serving as constable in 17, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry division of the army.
"Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and gravity of offence, role of accused persons and modus operandi adopted in commission of crime and pending investigation, no ground for grant of bail is made out. Hence, bail applications of accused are dismissed," Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal said.

Munawwar and Farid had sought bail claiming that they have been falsely implicated in the case. Munawwar and Farid said they are in custody since December 4 and 6, 2015 respectively and the probe was already complete and claimed that provisions of the Official Secret Act does not attract against them.
Crime Branch of Delhi Police opposed the bail pleas saying the investigation was still pending and the issue of national security was involved and the accused were active participants in the alleged offence.
Besides Munawwar and Farid, the other arrested accused in the case are BSF head constable Abdul Rasheed, Mohd Sabar, a teacher by profession, and Kafaitullah Khan alias Master Raja, a resident of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Police said Munawwar and Farid were allegedly involved in supplying information relating to country's national security to ISI and they were involved in anti-national activities.

Regarding Farid's role, the agency said he allegedly used to provide information to ISI in the form of CD and pen drive.
While Farid was arrested from Darjeeling in West Bengal, Munawwar and Sabar were arrested from Jammu and Kashmir.
Detailing the roles of the accused, the police had said Farid, whose unit is now posted in Darjeeling, had access to sensitive information when he was posted at Jammu and he was allegedly supplying the documents to ISI operatives through Kafaitullah.

The police also said that the other two accused were also in touch with Kafaitullah and they were supplying documents through e-mail.
Kafaitullah was arrested in connection with the case at New Delhi Railway Station while he was on his way from Jammu to Bhopal on November 26, 2015. Rasheed was arrested from Jammu on the basis of Kafaitullah's interrogation.
The police had earlier told the court that charges under Official Secrets Act have been slapped against all of them.