Ambala court acquits Pak national accused of spying

Almost two years after he was booked for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s ISI during his stay in India, an Ambala court on Tuesday acquitted a Pakistani software engineer observing that the prosecution failed to establish that the accused was in Ambala Cantonment for the said purpose

Almost two years after he was booked for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s ISI during his stay in India, an Ambala court on Tuesday acquitted a Pakistani software engineer observing that the prosecution failed to establish that the accused was in Ambala Cantonment for the said purpose.

Accused was arrested and booked under the Foreigners Act and the Official Secrets Act at Parao police station, however, as the trial preceded, the latter charge was dropped after the Union home ministry denied permission. (iStock)

“Ali Murtaza Asghar, 32, walked out of jail at around 8pm on Tuesday but will have to stay in India till the appeal period is completed,” said defence council SK Maken.

He was arrested on August 14, 2019 and booked under the Foreigners Act and the Official Secrets Act at Parao police station, however, as the trial preceded, the latter charge was dropped after the Union home ministry denied permission.

The prosecution had argued that the then CIA Staff-2 in-charge Sandeep Kumar and his team had apprehended Ali from the overbridge opposite bus stand at 11:15pm on suspicion that he was collecting secret information by visiting India for the last three years and will enter the army area.

“He had visa for Mumbai, Burhanpur, Surat, Ahmedabad and Galiakot, but not Ambala and was in illegal possession of an Indian SIM card,” assistant public prosecutor Pardeep Malik had contended.

Extending the benefit of doubt in favour of the accused and acquitting him of the charges, the court of chief judicial magistrate Amberdeep Singh said the accused has been able to establish his innocence by producing his location history as recorded on Google Timeline Map.