In a major mobile and cyber espionage case related to Pakistan, the NIA Special Court of Visakhapatnam has convicted the main accused of this case, Altaf Hussain Ghanchi Bhai alias Shakeel, and sentenced him to a total of 5 years and 6 months. The court has sentenced the accused to simple imprisonment and fine.
This case is related to the misuse of Indian mobile SIM cards and social media platforms, through which Pakistan’s intelligence agencies were being helped in spying. According to NIA, accused Altaf Hussain had accepted his crime during the ongoing trial. In this case, till now the statements of 37 witnesses had been recorded by the prosecution. After the accused confessed to the crime, the court gave its verdict on the punishment.
Under which section the punishment was given?
The NIA Special Court has sentenced the accused to 5 years and 6 months’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5000 under Section 18 of UAPA. Apart from this, under Section 66C of the IT Act 2000, a punishment of 2 years 6 months and a fine of Rs 5000 has been imposed separately. Both the sentences will run concurrently, meaning the accused will have to remain in jail for a maximum of 5.5 years.
In the year 2021, NIA Hyderabad had registered this case. Investigation revealed that some Indian fishermen were caught by Pakistan Navy while fishing in the high seas. The mobile phones and Indian SIM cards of these fishermen were confiscated by Pakistan Navy. Later, these SIM cards were activated by accused Altaf Hussain in India by inserting them in his mobile phone. He generated one time passwords i.e. OTP from these SIM cards and sent these OTPs directly to the intelligence officers of Pakistan.
Revelation in NIA investigation
It also became clear in the NIA investigation that with the help of these OTPs, Pakistani intelligence agents sitting in Pakistan operated Indian WhatsApp numbers. These numbers were used to contact people associated with India’s defense establishments. Intelligence agents were trying to obtain sensitive and confidential defense related information through fake identities, which could pose a serious threat to the security, sovereignty and integrity of the country.
NIA has said that it is continuously taking strict action against terrorist and espionage activities taking place through cyber. The agency will continue to work with full vigilance and seriousness to bring all such accused within the ambit of law and punish them.
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