Saharanpur: Iqbal Bhatti alias Devraj Sehgal, a Pakistani citizen who completed his 17-year jail sentence after being accused of spying, was deported to his country on Monday night under tight security, a senior police official said.
“Iqbal Bhatti was handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Wagah border,” Additional Superintendent of Police Manoj Yadav told PTI, adding that the man underwent a medical examination at the Saharanpur district hospital on Monday night.
Bhatti had served a 17-year sentence in Gautam Budh Nagar district jail, which ended 11 months ago. Since being released on March 22 last year, he has been housed in the Saharanpur detention centre under tight security. After the completion of all paperwork, he was deported to Pakistan on Monday night.
Yadav said Bhatti had been living in a rented house in Hakikat Nagar in Saharanpur under the name Devraj Sehgal and had established contacts with the local populace.
Using this Hakikat Nagar address and forged documents, he obtained voter ID, PAN and ration cards, and also opened an account with the State Bank of India. However, the bank’s chief manager, who sensed discrepancies, reported him to the police. Subsequently, a case was registered.
Meanwhile, in 2008, Bhatti was arrested by the Punjab Police when he visited Patiala with sensitive military documents and maps.
Punjab Police brought him back to Saharanpur, and subsequent investigation revealed that he had been spying for Pakistan while living as a normal citizen named Devraj.
A court sentenced him to 17 years in prison in cases related to espionage and forgery, ASP Yadav said.
Upon completion of his sentence in the Gautam Budh Nagar jail, the prison administration submitted a report to the Saharanpur Police regarding his deportation or transfer to a detention centre. During the hearing, Bhatti expressed his desire to be sent back to Pakistan, the ASP added.
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