India rejects Pakistan's charge of manhandling diplomat held for espionage

New Delhi: India on Thursday issued a 48-hour deadline to a Pakistani diplomat to return home after he was caught running a spying network.

Mehmood Akhtar, a staff member at the Pakistani high commission, was held on Thursday on charges of running a spy network following an investigation.

Briefing the media, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that Akhtar has been asked to return to Pakistan with his family in the next 48 hours.

Two of his aides, who are Indians and hail from Rajasthan, have been sent to 12 days of police remand by a Delhi Court on Thursday.

India also rejected the charges of manhandling Akhtar labeled by Pakistan following his detention.

Swarup said that there would be more arrests if the involvement of other people is uncovered in the spying racket.

“If we uncover evidence of involvement of more people, they will be arrested,” Swarup said.

India on Thursday declared the Pakistan High Commission staffer persona non-grata for espionage activities.

After the announcement of the high-profile arrests by the Delhi Police, the MEA also confirmed that an espionage ring, run by the ISI, has been busted.