Indian Army Signalman and Accomplice Sentenced in Espionage Case

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Lucknow has sentenced Anas Yakub Giteli to rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in a Pakistan-led espionage case. Giteli, a resident of Godhra in Gujarat, received multiple sentences ranging from three to five years, along with a fine, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and Official Secrets Act. All sentences will run concurrently.

Giteli was arrested along with Indian Army signalman Saurabh Sharma in January 2021. The case was initially registered by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad and later taken over by the NIA in February 2021. The duo was chargesheeted by the NIA in July 2021, and Saurabh Sharma was sentenced last month.

Investigations revealed that Saurabh Sharma was lured by a pseudonymous entity operated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agents and shared secret information about the Indian Army. The entity, called ‘Neha Sharma,’ had hatched a criminal conspiracy to obtain restricted and confidential information from Indian Army officials. Saurabh received funds from multiple sources, including Pakistani sources and Anas Yakub Giteli, in exchange for sensitive information passed to Pakistani ISI operatives.

The restricted information included details about the order of battle, troop deployments, locations, strength, and composition of ambush parties. Giteli, under the direction of Pakistan-based ISI handlers, deposited funds in the account of Pooja Singh, Saurabh Sharma’s wife, and sent a photo of the deposit slip to his handlers as confirmation. The two accused frequently deleted incriminating logs and digital footprints, including WhatsApp communications, to hide their wrongdoings, as revealed by NIA investigations.