ISI agent arrested in Lucknow

A suspected Inter Services Intelligence agent was nabbed by the Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh police from the cantonement area in Lucknow on Wednesday, a top police official said. A Pakistani national, the ISI operative ran a placement agency in the city, state police chief Bua Singh told newsmen.

Taseen Azim alias Lareb Khan, a resident of Karachi, was arrested on Wednesday morning on inputs of central intelligence agencies, Singh said adding maps of cantonment areas of Jhansi and Lucknow were recovered from his possession.

During interrrogation, Taseen confessed that he was a resident of Pakistan and was sent to India by ISI for facilitating entry of his men in the army. Singh said Taseen was running a precise placement agency in the state capital and had even arranged jobs for some youths.

He entered India through Bangladesh from where he went to Kolkata and Mumbai before reaching Lucknow to get his passport and other documents. Driving licenses issued in Allabahad and Lucknow in his name were also recovered, Singh said adding Tanseen used to send information to ISI through the Internet.

"We have downloaded 80 pages of information sent by him from the Internet and inquiry is on to find out his links in the state," the SSP added.

In Lucknow, Taseen was residing in a guesthouse in Burlington area and was in contact with his associates in Pakistan, Singh said.

In the past four months, 40 ISI agents had been arrested from various parts of the state, the senior police officer said adding interrogation of Taseen would give vital links about the operations of ISI in the state.