A Pakistani national arrested from Habra in West Bengal had an elaborate plan to flee to Bangladesh, lie low under a new identity, and return to India with fresh espionage assignments, according to interrogation details emerging from the Special Task Force (STF). The suspect, Wahab Alam, was reportedly dispatched to West Bengal by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to gather intelligence on the Indian Army, Navy, and Railways in the country's eastern sector.

The Escape Plan

During interrogation, Alam admitted that his handlers in Pakistan had instructed him to cross into Bangladesh, stay there temporarily, and eventually re-enter India with a fresh cover identity and new operational directives. STF sleuths, through both his questioning and examination of a recovered netbook, have also identified a Bangladesh-based ISI operative named Pavel, who was reportedly operating out of Jessore in Bangladesh.

According to sources, Pavel was tasked with arranging a safehouse for Alam in Bangladesh, briefing him on updated assignments in West Bengal, and facilitating his return to India after a sufficient cooling-off period.

Why Alam Went Underground

Alam acknowledged that both he and his Pakistani handlers grew alarmed when his name was removed from the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted ahead of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls. The deletion raised the risk of exposure, prompting his handlers to advise him to vacate his earlier base in Topsia — where he had been an enrolled voter — and relocate to a district bordering Bangladesh.

That directive led him to take shelter in Habra, in North 24 Parganas district, where he was subsequently arrested by the STF.

Local Network and Fake Documents

Investigations have also led to the arrest of Alam's local associate, Mohammad Izaz, who had been residing in Topsia. Alam had been living as a tenant at Izaz's residence. Critically, Izaz allegedly facilitated the procurement of fake Indian identity documents for Alam, including an Aadhaar Card, a PAN Card, and an EPIC card — the voter identity card — enabling the Pakistani operative to blend into local life.

Over a Decade Inside India

Alam reportedly entered India through the India-Nepal border in 2012 and has since moved across multiple locations within West Bengal, shifting bases periodically to evade detection. His ability to remain undetected for over a decade — aided by forged documents and a local support network — points to significant gaps in border and identity verification systems.

The case underscores growing concerns about cross-border infiltration networks operating through India's porous northeastern and eastern frontiers. Investigators are now expected to pursue the Bangladesh-based ISI link, with Pavel's network likely to come under the scanner of intelligence agencies.