Kolkata: The West Bengal Police’s Special Task Force (STF) has arrested three more men from Cooch Behar for their alleged involvement in an espionage network suspected to have links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), officials said on Saturday.
The arrests were made late Friday night in the Sahebganj area of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district, close to the India-Bangladesh border. The suspects have been identified as Rashidul Haque, Nur Nasiruddin Ali and Shafiqul Islam.
The STF is questioning the three men to determine the nature of their alleged activities, their contacts and whether they were part of a larger cross-border intelligence network.
Cooch Behar, West Bengal – Three persons suspected of having links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have been arrested in the Sahebganj area of Cooch Behar district. The arrests were made during an operation by the security agencies. Further investigation is… pic.twitter.com/ECKpGQnTGW
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Indian SIM Cards Allegedly Sent to Bangladesh
According to preliminary findings cited by investigators, the three suspects allegedly collected Indian mobile SIM cards and sent them across the border to Bangladesh.
Investigators suspect that some of these SIM cards may subsequently have been routed onward to Pakistan, potentially enabling communication or other activities linked to the alleged network. Authorities are now examining how the SIM cards were procured, transported and ultimately used.
The investigation is also focusing on whether the arrested men had any direct communication with Pakistani intelligence operatives or acted through intermediaries in Bangladesh or elsewhere.
The allegations have not yet been established in court.
Fake Currency Angle Also Under Investigation
Apart from the alleged SIM-card network, the STF is also probing whether the suspects had any involvement in the circulation or movement of counterfeit Indian currency.
Investigators are examining financial transactions, communications and other evidence to determine whether the three men operated independently or were connected to a wider network.
Their interrogation could also help investigators establish whether they had links with other suspects arrested recently in West Bengal in cases involving alleged Pakistan-linked espionage.
Arrests Follow Pakistan National’s Detention
The latest arrests come amid an expanding STF investigation into alleged Pakistan-linked activities in West Bengal.
Earlier this week, the STF arrested Wahab Alam alias Rana Rauf, a suspected Pakistani national, from Habra in North 24 Parganas district. Rauf, reportedly a resident of Faisalabad, Pakistan, was arrested on August 12 following intelligence inputs. Investigators have alleged that he had links with Pakistan’s ISI and was involved in gathering sensitive information concerning Indian security establishments.
The probe into Rauf has also attracted the attention of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has reportedly sought information from the Bengal STF about the case.
Nepal-Based Links Under Scanner
Investigators are also examining information allegedly recovered from a netbook seized from Rauf.
According to reports, analysis of the material helped investigators identify five Nepal-based associates. Authorities are trying to determine whether these individuals acted as intermediaries between Rauf and alleged handlers in Pakistan.
The STF is now checking whether the three men arrested in Cooch Behar had any contact with Rauf or the Nepal-based individuals and whether all the suspects were operating as part of the same alleged network.
Bengal STF’s Recent Pakistan-Linked Investigations
The Cooch Behar arrests are the latest development in a series of counter-terror and espionage investigations being conducted by the West Bengal STF.
In July, the agency arrested Hamim Mondal in Burdwan over alleged links with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operatives. Investigators subsequently arrested other alleged associates, including a woman from Jharkhand, as they traced the network.
The STF has alleged that Mondal maintained contact with Pakistan-based handlers and was involved in activities linked to the suspected network. Investigators have also examined whether the group was involved in surveillance and possible plans targeting political figures and public gatherings.
Probe Widens Along Border Belt
The latest arrests are significant because the suspects were apprehended in Cooch Behar, a strategically sensitive district bordering Bangladesh.
For investigators, the key questions now include whether the alleged SIM-card movement was part of an organised intelligence operation, whether counterfeit currency was another component of the network, and how the Cooch Behar suspects may be connected to the Pakistan-linked individuals already under investigation.
The STF is expected to continue questioning the three accused and examining their digital records, financial transactions, communications and contacts to establish the full extent of the alleged network.
Authorities have so far described the men as suspects in an espionage investigation; their alleged links to Pakistan’s ISI and other activities remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
