Indian man who crossed over to Pakistan in 1990 detained on returning

An Indian national, who crossed over to Pakistan in 1990, has been arrested for illegally crossing back into India, the police said Monday.

Hasan Khan lived in Pakistan for 27 before crossing back into India illegally six months ago. CID (Border Intelligence) officials arrested him Monday from his native village, Siyalon ki Basti, in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district.

“The accused, who is an Indian citizen, is being jointly interrogated by intelligence agencies,” said Additional superintendent of police of CID (BI) in Jaisalmer Rajeev Dutta said.

During the preliminary interrogation, Khan revealed that a Pakistani national had helped him cross the international Border, Dutta said. Khan also told the agencies that Pakistani man came with him nearly one kilometre inside Indian territory before returning.

Dutta said that before entering India, Khan stayed at Mitha Khan Ki Dhani, a village located about six kilometers from international border in Pakistan. Dutta said that Mitha Khan’s son helped Khan in crossing the international border in lieu of Rs 5000.

Khan told the agencies that they crossed into India in April this year from Jhalriya village, under Shahgarh Balz police station area, located along the international border in Jaisalmer district.

Khan told the interrogators that he had illegally crossed over to Pakistan in 1990 to meet his brother-in-law who was suffering from cancer and stayed back to help his sister. Dutta said that after entering India, Khan visited Gujarat, Maharashtra and many other places.

Following an input, security agencies picked him from his native village.

Dutta said it was not yet clear if Khan was part of any spying racket.

Meanwhile, BSF refused to comment on the CID (BI) claims that Khan had illegally crossed over into India. Ravi Gandhi, deputy inspector general of BSF told HT that they will comment on the issue after joint interrogation of the accused.