Delhi Scrap Dealer Held: Family Says He Was Visiting Second Wife, Not Spying
Scrap Dealer Arrested, Family Says He Was Visiting Second Wife in Pakistan
Mohammad Harun, a 45-year-old scrap dealer from Delhi, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on espionage charges. The ATS alleges that Harun had links with Pakistani agencies and shared sensitive information related to India’s internal security. However, Harun’s family vehemently denies these accusations, claiming he was simply visiting his second wife in Pakistan.
Harun’s Alleged Links to Pakistan
According to the ATS, Harun worked closely with an employee from the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. They allege that Harun received money from this individual for facilitating visas for people seeking to travel to Pakistan. The ATS also claims that Harun received commissions from this alleged arrangement, which they believe were used to fund anti-national activities. The employee from the Pakistan High Commission has been declared “persona non grata” by the Indian government and ordered to leave the country.
Family’s Defense: Harun Was Visiting His Wife
Standing in front of their three-storey house in Seelampur, Harun’s brother, Wasim, spoke to The Indian Express, stating that Harun was financially struggling and ran a scrap shop from their home. He revealed that Harun had married twice: first in 2007 to a woman in Delhi with whom he had three children, and then recently to his cousin in Gujranwala, Pakistan, during the Covid lockdown. According to Wasim, Harun had kept his second marriage a secret from his family initially but later confessed. He explained that Harun wanted to bring his second wife to Delhi but was unsuccessful.
Wasim strongly denied the allegations of Harun being involved in a visa racket. He questioned how his brother could have accumulated such wealth from the visa business if his family only owned two houses. Wasim also stated that when Harun was arrested, he maintained his innocence and claimed he was being framed.
Legal Charges and Family’s Next Steps
Harun has been booked under the stringent BNS sections 148 (conspiracy to wage or attempt to wage war against the Government of India) and 152 (acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India). The family is seeking legal assistance and is determined to prove Harun’s innocence.
