OTP sharing with Pakistan intelligence operatives: Accused admits sending money to mastermind

The accused in the OTP sharing case with Pakistani intelligence operatives has admitted to sharing money with the mastermind. However, he has not spoken anything about his links with ISI.

Bhubaneshwar (Odisha): The accused in the OTP sharing case with Pakistan intelligence operatives on Monday, July 10 admitted to sending money to the mastermind, officials said. A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with officials of the Odisha State Task Force (STF) on Monday evening interrogated the accused Abhijeet Sanjay Jambhure.

Jambhure, who was working with a well-known IT firm in Pune, was arrested by the Odisha STF from Pune on June 29. Earlier, the sleuths of the Odisha STF had apprehended one Pathanisamant Lenka, the 'mastermind' of the OTP sharing case.

A senior official said that Abhijeet confessed that he sent money to the mastermind. "However, when we quizzed whether he had any links with the ISI or senior intelligence officer of the Pakistani Army, he did not say anything," the officer added. The officer said that according to Abhijeet, he had once sent Rs 550 to Lekha.

Meanwhile, State Task Force Superintendent of Police, KK Panigrahi claimed that the accused had links with the ISI and some Nigerians. "We are probing terrorist links and terror funding aspects as well. On getting directions, Abhijeet was sending money,” the SP claimed.

STF officials had claimed that Abhijeet was in touch with some senior Pakistan Intelligence officers. They had said that the accused met one Danish alias Syed Danish Ali Naqvi of Khanki, Faislabad, Pakistan through Facebook Messenger and it was Danish, who introduced Abhijeet to his Karachi-based friend Khurram alias Abdul Hamid. Officials further claimed that Abhijeet also spoke to at least seven Pakistani citizens and 10 Nigerian Citizens using WhatsApp.