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Three more armymen arrested for ISI links

The central command authorities have taken into custody three more armymen, over the last week, for alleged involvement in Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence activities.

According to military sources at the command headquarters, they were held in Shimla, Jalandhar and Lucknow.

With this, the number of military personnel arrested for ISI connections has gone up to 11. Eight retired and serving personnel were nabbed earlier this month. Barring a retired major, the others were junior commissioned and non-commissioned officers.

The crackdown began with the arrest of havildar Chedi Prasad Lal, posted in a sensitive wing of an army establishment in Shimla. Earlier, he was posted at the command headquarters here.

"Confessing involvement with the recently arrested ISI agents, Taj Mohammad Sheikh, a dismissed major and Sant Ram Rai, he gave clues of a similar nexus of Army Medical Corps havildar I B Sheikh, employed at the central command hospital here," a source said.

Sheikh's interrogation led to the arrest of havildar Hari Singh, who was recently posted from the command headquarters here to Jalandhar. "While being attached to the 'A' branch here, Hari Singh was often privy to highly classified documents," a senior officer said.

While the three are under military custody, the army authorities do not rule out the arrest of more personnel involved in subversive activities.

The series of arrests of military personnel, under the jurisdiction of the central command, has become a matter of concern for the authorities.

However, outgoing general officer commanding-in-chief Lt General Surjit Singh had told mediapersons earlier this week here, "Mostly retired persons have been arrested in this connection; while we really take care to keep the feeling of nationalism and patriotism alive in them as long as they are serving, we really cannot do much once they are superannuated." However, the arrest of the three serving personnel seems to belie the general's explanation.

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