The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested an employee of the Indian Embassy in Moscow, Russia, on charges of spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI. The arrested individual, identified as Satendra Siwal, was working as a Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

The operation unfolded as ATS received intelligence from confidential sources suggesting that ISI handlers were enticing Indian Ministry of External Affairs employees, offering financial incentives in exchange for sensitive information related to the Indian Army. The information being obtained posed a grave threat to India’s internal and external security.

Satendra Siwal, a resident of Shahmahiuddinpur village in Hapur, was identified as a key player in this espionage network. He was allegedly extracting confidential documents by exploiting his position within the Indian Embassy in Moscow. The accused, motivated by greed for money, allegedly passed critical information concerning the strategic activities of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, and Indian military establishments to ISI handlers.

Following extensive intelligence gathering and surveillance, Satendra Siwal was summoned to the ATS Field Unit in Meerut for interrogation. During questioning, he reportedly failed to provide satisfactory answers, eventually confessing to his involvement in spy activities. Satendra Siwal has been working as an India Based Security Assistant (IBSA) at the Indian Embassy in Moscow since 2021.

Crime Branch officials reached the residence of Delhi minister Atishi today to serve a notice in connection with allegations that the BJP was attempting to “poach” Aam Aadmi Party MLAs.

Sources said Ms Atishi was not present at her residence. The minister, however, has given directions to her office staff to receive the notice, sources in the AAP said.

“The team will go again to serve notice to Atishi. This morning, she was not present at her residence,” a senior officer of Delhi Police Crime Branch said.

This comes a day after Crime Branch officials served a notice to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to reply within three days in a probe into his claims that the BJP attempted to poach seven AAP MLAs.

Mr Kejriwal and Ms Atishi are scheduled to lay the foundation stones of two schools in Rohini later in the day.

On January 27, Mr Kejriwal and Ms Atishi had claimed that the BJP was trying to poach AAP MLAs by offering Rs 25 crore each and a ticket to contest next year’s assembly poll to topple the AAP government.

The BJP had rubbished the allegations, terming them “false” and “baseless”, and dared the chief minister to furnish evidence to back his claims.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip. This proverb holds true for the current situation in Jharkhand. Champai Soren has claimed the support of 47 MLAs of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and RJD and taken oath as Chief Minister. Tomorrow, he faces a majority test in the Assembly, and latest developments indicate the battle is far from over.

Of the 47 MLAs, one has come out strongly against former Chief Minister Hemant Soren, whose resignation set off the process for a new government formation. Another JMM legislator, sources said, is off the grid and is likely to skip the floor test tomorrow. The JMM, busy keeping its flock of MLAs together, has stressed that it has adequate numbers to cross the majority mark in the 81-member Assembly. 

A JMM MLA today said Hemant Soren had ignored his advice and that landed him in jail. 

Lobin Hembrom, who represents Borio seat in Sahibganj district, was at an event organised by a non-political organisation. Speaking to the media on the sidelines, Mr Hembrom said the JMM manifesto ahead of the 2019 state polls had promised the implementation of Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act and Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act. The JMM MLA also said the central law, Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, has not been implemented in the state.

While the first two laws are aimed at protecting land rights of tribals, the PESA Act empowers the gram sabha to protect tribals from exploitation. “The gram sabha has no power now. If the PESA Act was implemented, it would be more powerful. When none of these shields (for tribals) was implemented, we were forced to form this forum, Jharkhand Bachao Morcha,” he said.

The legislator said he would sever all ties from JMM. “Jharkhand was formed after such a struggle under Shibu Soren. But even today, these issues have not been resolved at the ground. People are now calling me a traitor,” he said.

Hemant Soren, who is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a land scam case, resigned late on Wednesday. Champai Soren took over after claiming support of 47 MLAs from JMM, Congress and RJD. He needs to prove his government’s majority in the House tomorrow.

Mr Hembrom said he would now see how the state government under Champai Soren functions. He added that he would keep raising these issues in Assembly.

Asked about land scam allegations, in which connection Mr Soren has been arrested, he said, “There have been a lot of irregularities. IAS officers are involved. Nobody can touch that land. This means that CNT Act is not in force. Now people are going to jail. Eventually, our former Chief Minister was also sent to jail.”

The MLA said he had spoken to Hemant Soren on this issue. “I had warned him that the people around him are maligning his image and he should be careful. He replied that I speak nonsense and this gives an opportunity to the Opposition. I had then told him that he and Shibu Soren are my leaders and I cannot tolerate your disrespect. If he had heeded my advice, he would not have seen this day,” he said.

Mr Hembrom said the state government has snatched the land of tribals in the name of airport, dams and industries.

The Borio MLA also said that the Jharkhand government is led by a tribal, but run by non-tribals. “We wanted a tribal Chief Minister. We got one. But everything is done by Biharis. I have raised this multiple times, but Hemant Soren did not respond,” he said.

JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said they have spoken to Mr Hembrom. “He will be coming for the floor test tomorrow,” he said.

Another MLA, Chamra Linda from Bishunpur constituency, cannot be contacted, it is learnt. Mr Linda was also absent at party meetings held in the run-up to the majority test. While JMM leaders said he was unwell, sources revealed that the party leaders have failed to contact the legislator. Earlier, Mr Linda too had attacked the JMM government and said it had not taken any firm step for tribal welfare so far.