The Ministry of External Affairs acknowledges the apprehension of embassy staffer Satendra Siwal, who was arrested in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, on espionage charges, according to sources on Sunday. “MEA continues its collaboration with investigative authorities in this regard,” sources further conveyed.
Satendra Siwal, previously serving as the India-Based Security Assistant (IBSA) at the Indian Embassy in Moscow, has been detained for allegedly divulging ‘confidential’ information to the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. A resident of Hapur district in Uttar Pradesh, Siwal was apprehended by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on charges of engaging in “anti-India activities,” as stated in an official release by UP Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Sunday.
The statement revealed that Siwal supplied ISI with significant confidential information, particularly concerning strategic activities of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Indian military establishment, in exchange for monetary gain. Employed by the Ministry of External Affairs, Siwal has been serving as the IBSA at the Indian Embassy in Moscow since 2021, as per the statement.
Siwal, summoned to the ATS field unit in Meerut, reportedly confessed to his involvement during questioning. An FIR has been filed in this regard under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case is currently under further investigation.