Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) announced the arrest of Satyendra Siwal, an employee of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), stationed in Moscow, on charges of spying for Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI. Siwal, identified as a Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) at the MEA, was apprehended in Meerut.

The ATS revealed on Sunday that confidential sources had provided intelligence indicating that ISI handlers were using money to influence individuals at the Foreign Ministry of India to leak top-secret information related to the Indian Army and its strategies. Following electronic surveillance and evidence collection, it was established that Siwal, a native of Hapur district in UP and currently posted at the Indian Embassy in Moscow, was involved in anti-India activities, collaborating with ISI handlers. The statement mentioned, "He was providing classified information about the Indian Army and military activities to the ISI handlers in exchange for money. He was called to the ATS office in Meerut, where he couldn't give satisfactory answers about the information sent by him. On further interrogation, he confessed to his crime."

Arrested under Section 121A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Official Secrets Act, 1923, Siwal, designated as India-Based Security Assistant at the Indian Embassy in Russia, had two mobile phones, one Aadhaar card, one PAN card, one identification document, and Rs 600 in cash seized during the operation.