A Pakistani national was on Thursday convicted by a local court here which sentenced him to 14 years rigorous imprisonment (RI) for passing on secrets of vital Indian defense establishments to his country.
The First Additional Metropolitan Sessions judge gave the verdict declaring Malik
Arshad Mahmood, 45, a Pakistani national, guilty of criminal conspiracy among other charges and sentenced him to 14 years jail.
Mahmood was arrested by the Hyderabad police five years ago on March 8, 2004 and since then he has been in jail. However, the court acquitted a Hyderabadi youth Milind Dattatreya who was arrested for helping Mahmood by arranging funds through hawala.
Some others, including Bangladeshi nationals, who are also accused in the case are at large. Mahmood, was arrested for sending the classified information like the defense installations located in and around Hyderabad by e-mail to Pakistan.
According to prosecution, the Pakistani had entered India without any valid documents and was staying in the city since 2003. He confessed that he was imparted three months training by Pakistani intelligence operatives Rasheed and Liaquath before being sent to India.