Indian spy machine alive and kicking, judging by German case

By Asia Samachar Team | MALAYSIA |

The Indian spy machine is alive and kicking when it comes to keeping tabs on the Kashmiris and other minority communities like the Sikhs all around the world. An Indian-engineering spying case in Germany provides some insights into the workings of the Indian agency.

On Thursday (12 Dec 2019), a German court sentenced a married Indian couple living in Moenchengladbach after they admitted to spying on Sikhs and Kashmiris for the Indian secret service.

Manmohan S. was handed a suspended prison sentence of 18 months for acting as a foreign intelligence agent, while his wife Kanwal Jit K. was fined 180 days’ wages for aiding him, reports AFP.

The report quoted a courts statement as saying that Manmohan was recruited by the Indian foreign intelligence agency Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) at the beginning of 2015, and asked to spy on the Kashmiri opposition movement.

“The accused reported on the internal affairs of the Sikh temples in Cologne and Frankfurt, as well as on protest events in the Sikh community,” the statement said.

The 51-year-old was paid 200 euros ($223) a month for the information he provided, and attended regular meetings with an Indian intelligence officer from July 2017.

On top of the suspended sentence, S. was also ordered to a pay 1,500 euros to a charitable institution. The couple now have a week to appeal the decision, the report added.

RAW was founded in 1968 primarily to counter China’s influence. Over time it has shifted its focus to India’s other traditional rival, Pakistan, and the Indian diaspora communities overseas. It is said that it has agents in virtually every major embassy and high commission.