Arrested Pakistani Spy Wanted To Bomb Rail-Bridge, Temple In Kolkata, Claims Police

Kolkata: Bhakt Banshi Jha (36), a mole of the Pakistani intelligence agency, who was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police last week on charges of leaking confidential defence-related information, had plans to blow up a rail-bridge at Howrah and a famous temple adjacent to it. Based on his interrogation, and data from his personal mobile phone, the investigating officials have got specific information about the accused sending photographs of the rail-bridge and the adjacent temple to a woman based out of Pakistan.

The investigating officials have also recovered several messages exchanged through social media platforms by Jha with Pak-based terror outfit operators indicating that the roots of the accused in the case are quite deep. City police sources said that the Pakistan woman, reportedly operating as the country's intelligence agency, had been in touch with him for quite some time.

However, it is not clear whether Jha even went to Pakistan or that woman came to India. Last week, based on the inputs by sister agencies, the STF sleuths arrested Jha on charges of direct involvement in activities prejudicial to the safety of the country.  

He was summoned for questioning at the STF office at the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lal Bazar in central Kolkata on Friday evening and after a long questioning session, he was arrested on the evening of August 25.

“Secret information like photographs, videographs and online chat could be retrieved from his mobile phone during inquiry, which was shared to a suspected intelligence operative of Pakistan by the accused,” a city police official said soon after the arrest of Jha.

The intelligence operative of Pakistan whom the accused used to frequently chat through different social media platforms has been identified as Aarushi Sharma.  Before coming to Kolkata, Jha had resided in Delhi for quite some time, where he is believed to have taken photographs of vital defence-installations and cantonments.