The Evening Wrap: U.P. ATS arrests Indian Embassy staff posted in Moscow on spying charges

The Uttar Pradesh Police on February 4 arrested an employee of the Indian Embassy in Moscow for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The accused, identified as Satendra Siwal, a resident of Shahmahiuddinpur village in Hapur district, was hired as a “Multi-Tasking Staff” in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and worked at the embassy in Moscow from 2021. The position is comparable to that of an office attendant or runner. The Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) said in a statement that it arrested Siwal in Meerut, where he was questioned by officers, and confessed to the crime. “The ATS received tip-off from confidential sources that ISI handlers were luring employees of the MEA with money to derive information about the Defence Ministry, MEA, Indian Army and Indian military installations, posing a huge threat to the internal and external security of India. After verifying the information through technical and physical surveillance, Satendra Siwal, an employee posted as IBSA (India based Security Assistant) at the Indian Embassy in Moscow was called for questioning to the ATS field unit in Meerut, where he failed to give satisfactory replies during interrogation and accepted his crime,” said the ATS statement. A FIR was registered against the accused at the ATS police station, Lucknow under sections 121 (A) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 3/5/9 of the Official Secrets Act-1923. Two mobile phones, one Aadhar, PAN card, identity card and Rs. 600 were also recovered from the accused. Meanwhile, the MEA said that it was working with the relevant investigative authorities after the arrest. “MEA is aware of the arrest of Satendra Siwal in Uttar Pradesh, who was posted as Security Assistant in Embassy of India, Moscow. MEA continues to work with the investigative authorities in the matter,” said a source familiar with the development within the Ministry. It is not yet clear how Siwal ended up passing information to the Pakistani ISI as claimed by the U.P. ATS but according to one theory in the official circles, he was probably honey-trapped through social media apps or was broken into through financial rewards. UCC draft gets Uttarakhand Cabinet approval on eve of special Assembly session The final draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was approved by the Uttarakhand Cabinet, paving the way for its tabling in the State Assembly whose special four-day session beginning in Dehradun on February 5. The Cabinet passed the UCC draft at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at his official residence on February 4. The final draft of the UCC running into 740 pages in four volumes was submitted to CM Dhami on February 2 by a five-member panel headed by retired judge of the Supreme Court Ranjana Prakash Desai. The special session of the Assembly has been convened especially to pass the legislation on the UCC. The approval by the State Cabinet was necessary for its introduction in the House. Law enforcement agencies should not consider borders as a hindrance: Amit Shah Union Home Minister Amit Shah on February 4 said that crimes and criminals do not respect geographical borders and hence, different law enforcement agencies also should not consider any border as a hindrance. Instead, they should consider them as meeting points for solving crimes, he said, addressing a conference of Attorneys and Solicitors General from the Commonwealth nations. Shah also said that when the three recently enacted criminal justice laws are implemented, one can get justice up to the High Court level within three years of registering a FIR. The Home Minister said that the Commonwealth conference was taking place at a time when geographical borders have no sense when it comes to commerce and crime. He said that there were cross-border challenges for justice delivery, trade, commerce, and communication, adding that for trade and crime, there is no border. Shah said that governments need to work in this direction, as all types of crime — from small cyber fraud to global organised crime, from local disputes to cross-border disputes, from local crime to terrorism — have some kind of links. Referring to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act, the Home Minister said that after the complete implementation of these three new laws, India will have the world’s most modern criminal justice systems. These new laws will replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively. Shah said that the government has worked on the model that justice essentially should have three As, by being accessible, affordable, and accountable. Congress stands for Jal-Jungle-Jamin of tribal people, says Rahul Gandhi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on February 4 said that his party stood for Jal-Jungle-Jamin (water, forest and land) of tribal people and employment of youths. He was speaking during a roadshow in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district, as part of his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’. After a night halt in Tundi block of the district on February 3, the Yatra resumed at Govindpur in Dhanbad city on February 4, its third day in Jharkhand. The main objective of the yatra is to save public sector units from being sold to private parties, and ensure justice to employed youths and tribal of the country, Gandhi said. “Economic imbalance, demonetisation, GST and unemployment have ruined the future of youths in the country,” he said. Jharkhand Congress vice-president Brajendra Prasad Singh said the Yatra which started from Govindpur, passed through Saraidhela, IIT-ISM gate, Randhir Verma Chowk, Shramik Chowk near the railway station and reached Bank More where Gandhi addressed a public rally. Thereafter, it proceeded towards Bokaro district. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said Bokaro is a steel city. “These are the monuments built by (former prime minister) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. When people say what we did in 70 years... Bhilai, Rourkela, Durgapur, Bhakra Nangal, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Barauni, Sindri - these are all monuments to India’s economic development”, he said. After the launch break in Bokaro, the Yatra will again start from Jena More around 2 p.m. Gandhi’s night halt is scheduled in Ramgarh district on February 4. Got no invitation for Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, says Akhilesh; Congress says detailed route yet to be finalised In a fresh trouble for the INDIA bloc, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on February 4 claimed that he had not got any invite for the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra for its Uttar Pradesh leg. The Congress was quick to clarify that the detailed route for the yatra will be shared with the allies in the State as soon as it is finalised, in a bid to clear any possible misunderstanding between the two parties. Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Yadav, when asked whether he will join the Congress’s yatra, said, “Many events are organised for which we don’t receive invitations. Why should we ask for an invitation?” The yatra is expected to enter Uttar Pradesh on February 14. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said the detailed route and programme of the yatra in Uttar Pradesh will be finalised in a day or two. “After this it will be shared with the constituent parties of INDIA bloc in the State. Their participation in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will further strengthen the INDIA bloc. The Yatra is expected to enter Uttar Pradesh on the afternoon of February 16,” he said. Yadav’s comments raise anxiety for the Congress, which is still recovering from a snub by Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has refused to cede any seats to the Congress. Ramesh, speaking at a press conference in Bokaro, Jharkhand, expressed confidence that the talks are still continuing with the TMC and could have a positive outcome. The alliance is in a precarious position in Uttar Pradesh, where Yadav asserted that the seat division has been clinched with 11 seats for the Congress, but the Congress claims it is not yet final as it hopes for more. “We are ready to concede if they show a sincere will to fight and win. Let both Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi contest, we will give them more seats,” a senior SP leader said. RBI restriction on Paytm | CAIT advises traders to switch from Paytm to other payment apps in light of RBI action Traders’ body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on February 4 issued a cautionary advisory to traders to switch from Paytm to other payment options for business-related transactions following RBI curbs on Paytm wallet and bank operations. “The Reserve Bank of India has imposed certain restrictions, prompting CAIT to recommend that users take proactive measures to protect their funds and ensure uninterrupted financial transactions. Large number of small traders, vendors, hawkers and women are making payments through Paytm and as such RBI restrictions on Paytm could lead financial disruption to these people,” the CAIT said. Money laundering concerns and questionable dealings of hundreds of crores of rupees between popular wallet Paytm and its lesser-known banking arm had led Reserve Bank of India to clamp down on tech poster boy Vijay Shekhar Sharma-run entities, according to sources. The central bank has ordered Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) to halt most of its business including taking further deposits, conducting credit transactions and carrying out top-ups on any customer accounts, prepaid instruments, wallets, and cards for paying road tolls after February 29. CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that the recent restrictions imposed by RBI on Paytm have raised concerns about the security and continuity of financial services provided by the platform. He emphasised the urgency of this advisory, urging traders to act promptly and make informed decisions to mitigate any potential adverse effects on their financial operations. In briefNo country can develop by wiping out its past: Modi Almost a fortnight after the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at the Congress for failing to understand the significance of places of worship, and said no country could develop by wiping out its past. At a large gathering in Guwahati on February 4, after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for a slew of projects worth ₹11,599 crore in Assam, including the Kamakhya temple access corridor, Modi chided “those who ruled India for a long time since India attained freedom from British rule”. IND vs ENG second Test | England 67-1 at stumps on Day 3 against India, chase record 399 to win Set a stiff 399-run target, England were 67 for one in their second innings at stumps on the third day of the second Test against India in Vishakapatnam on February 4. England lost opener Ben Duckett (28) with stumper KS Bharat taking the catch off Ravichandran Ashwin’s bowling. Zak Crawley (29) and Rehan Ahmed (9) were at the crease with England still needing 332 runs to win the match. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 04 February 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( U.P. ATS arrests Indian Embassy staff posted in Moscow on spying charges The [Uttar Pradesh Police on February 4 arrested an employee of the Indian Embassy in Moscow for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence]( (ISI). The accused, identified as Satendra Siwal, a resident of Shahmahiuddinpur village in Hapur district, was hired as a “Multi-Tasking Staff” in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and worked at the embassy in Moscow from 2021. The position is comparable to that of an office attendant or runner. The Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) said in a statement that it arrested Siwal in Meerut, where he was questioned by officers, and confessed to the crime. “The ATS received tip-off from confidential sources that ISI handlers were luring employees of the MEA with money to derive information about the Defence Ministry, MEA, Indian Army and Indian military installations, posing a huge threat to the internal and external security of India. After verifying the information through technical and physical surveillance, Satendra Siwal, an employee posted as IBSA (India based Security Assistant) at the Indian Embassy in Moscow was called for questioning to the ATS field unit in Meerut, where he failed to give satisfactory replies during interrogation and accepted his crime,” said the ATS statement. A FIR was registered against the accused at the ATS police station, Lucknow under sections 121 (A) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 3/5/9 of the Official Secrets Act-1923. Two mobile phones, one Aadhar, PAN card, identity card and Rs. 600 were also recovered from the accused. Meanwhile, the [MEA said that it was working with the relevant investigative authorities]( after the arrest. “MEA is aware of the arrest of Satendra Siwal in Uttar Pradesh, who was posted as Security Assistant in Embassy of India, Moscow. MEA continues to work with the investigative authorities in the matter,” said a source familiar with the development within the Ministry. It is not yet clear how Siwal ended up passing information to the Pakistani ISI as claimed by the U.P. ATS but according to one theory in the official circles, he was probably honey-trapped through social media apps or was broken into through financial rewards. UCC draft gets Uttarakhand Cabinet approval on eve of special Assembly session The [final draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was approved by the Uttarakhand Cabinet]( paving the way for its tabling in the State Assembly whose special four-day session beginning in Dehradun on February 5. The Cabinet passed the UCC draft at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at his official residence on February 4. The final draft of the UCC running into 740 pages in four volumes was submitted to CM Dhami on February 2 by a five-member panel headed by retired judge of the Supreme Court Ranjana Prakash Desai. The special session of the Assembly has been convened especially to pass the legislation on the UCC. The approval by the State Cabinet was necessary for its introduction in the House. Law enforcement agencies should not consider borders as a hindrance: Amit Shah Union Home Minister [Amit Shah on February 4 said that crimes and criminals do not respect geographical borders and hence, different law enforcement agencies also should not consider any border as a hindrance](. Instead, they should consider them as meeting points for solving crimes, he said, addressing a conference of Attorneys and Solicitors General from the Commonwealth nations. Shah also said that when the three recently enacted criminal justice laws are implemented, one can get justice up to the High Court level within three years of registering a FIR. The Home Minister said that the Commonwealth conference was taking place at a time when geographical borders have no sense when it comes to commerce and crime. He said that there were cross-border challenges for justice delivery, trade, commerce, and communication, adding that for trade and crime, there is no border. Shah said that governments need to work in this direction, as all types of crime — from small cyber fraud to global organised crime, from local disputes to cross-border disputes, from local crime to terrorism — have some kind of links. Referring to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act, the Home Minister said that after the complete implementation of these three new laws, India will have the world’s most modern criminal justice systems. These new laws will replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively. Shah said that the government has worked on the model that justice essentially should have three As, by being accessible, affordable, and accountable. Congress stands for Jal-Jungle-Jamin of tribal people, says Rahul Gandhi Congress leader [Rahul Gandhi on February 4 said that his party stood for Jal-Jungle-Jamin (water, forest and land) of tribal people]( and employment of youths. He was speaking during a roadshow in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district, as part of his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’. After a night halt in Tundi block of the district on February 3, the Yatra resumed at Govindpur in Dhanbad city on February 4, its third day in Jharkhand. The main objective of the yatra is to save public sector units from being sold to private parties, and ensure justice to employed youths and tribal of the country, Gandhi said. “Economic imbalance, demonetisation, GST and unemployment have ruined the future of youths in the country,” he said. Jharkhand Congress vice-president Brajendra Prasad Singh said the Yatra which started from Govindpur, passed through Saraidhela, IIT-ISM gate, Randhir Verma Chowk, Shramik Chowk near the railway station and reached Bank More where Gandhi addressed a public rally. Thereafter, it proceeded towards Bokaro district. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said Bokaro is a steel city. “These are the monuments built by (former prime minister) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. When people say what we did in 70 years... Bhilai, Rourkela, Durgapur, Bhakra Nangal, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Barauni, Sindri - these are all monuments to India’s economic development”, he said. After the launch break in Bokaro, the Yatra will again start from Jena More around 2 p.m. Gandhi’s night halt is scheduled in Ramgarh district on February 4. Got no invitation for Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, says Akhilesh; Congress says detailed route yet to be finalised In a fresh trouble for the INDIA bloc, [Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on February 4 claimed that he had not got any invite for the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra]( for its Uttar Pradesh leg. The Congress was quick to clarify that the detailed route for the yatra will be shared with the allies in the State as soon as it is finalised, in a bid to clear any possible misunderstanding between the two parties. Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Yadav, when asked whether he will join the Congress’s yatra, said, “Many events are organised for which we don’t receive invitations. Why should we ask for an invitation?” The yatra is expected to enter Uttar Pradesh on February 14. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said the detailed route and programme of the yatra in Uttar Pradesh will be finalised in a day or two. “After this it will be shared with the constituent parties of INDIA bloc in the State. Their participation in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will further strengthen the INDIA bloc. The Yatra is expected to enter Uttar Pradesh on the afternoon of February 16,” he said. Yadav’s comments raise anxiety for the Congress, which is still recovering from a snub by Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has refused to cede any seats to the Congress. Ramesh, speaking at a press conference in Bokaro, Jharkhand, expressed confidence that the [talks are still continuing with the TMC and could have a positive outcome](. The alliance is in a precarious position in Uttar Pradesh, where Yadav asserted that the seat division has been clinched with 11 seats for the Congress, but the Congress claims it is not yet final as it hopes for more. “We are ready to concede if they show a sincere will to fight and win. Let both Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi contest, we will give them more seats,” a senior SP leader said. RBI restriction on Paytm | CAIT advises traders to switch from Paytm to other payment apps in light of RBI action Traders’ body [Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on February 4 issued a cautionary advisory to traders to switch from Paytm to other payment options]( for business-related transactions following RBI curbs on Paytm wallet and bank operations. “The Reserve Bank of India has imposed certain restrictions, prompting CAIT to recommend that users take proactive measures to protect their funds and ensure uninterrupted financial transactions. Large number of small traders, vendors, hawkers and women are making payments through Paytm and as such RBI restrictions on Paytm could lead financial disruption to these people,” the CAIT said. Money laundering concerns and questionable dealings of hundreds of crores of rupees between popular wallet Paytm and its lesser-known banking arm had led Reserve Bank of India to clamp down on tech poster boy Vijay Shekhar Sharma-run entities, according to sources. The central bank has ordered Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) to halt most of its business including taking further deposits, conducting credit transactions and carrying out top-ups on any customer accounts, prepaid instruments, wallets, and cards for paying road tolls after February 29. CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that the recent restrictions imposed by RBI on Paytm have raised concerns about the security and continuity of financial services provided by the platform. He emphasised the urgency of this advisory, urging traders to act promptly and make informed decisions to mitigate any potential adverse effects on their financial operations. In brief No country can develop by wiping out its past: Modi Almost a fortnight after the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Prime Minister [Narendra Modi took a dig at the Congress for failing to understand the significance of places of worship, and said no country could develop by wiping out its past](. At a large gathering in Guwahati on February 4, after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for a slew of projects worth ₹11,599 crore in Assam, including the Kamakhya temple access corridor, Modi chided “those who ruled India for a long time since India attained freedom from British rule”. IND vs ENG second Test | England 67-1 at stumps on Day 3 against India, chase record 399 to win Set a stiff 399-run target, [England were 67 for one in their second innings at stumps on the third day of the second Test against India in Vishakapatnam]( on February 4. England lost opener Ben Duckett (28) with stumper KS Bharat taking the catch off Ravichandran Ashwin’s bowling. Zak Crawley (29) and Rehan Ahmed (9) were at the crease with England still needing 332 runs to win the match. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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