The Special Task Force (STF) of the West Bengal Police has arrested two persons, including a Pakistani national, on suspicion of maintaining active links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), officials confirmed on Wednesday, 12 August. The operation marks the latest in a series of counter-intelligence actions by the STF in the state.

Key Arrests and Identities

The first arrest was made from Habra in North 24 Parganas district, where the Pakistani national — identified as Wahab Alam alias Rana Raut — was detained. Acting on leads gathered during his interrogation, the STF subsequently arrested a second individual, Muhammad Izaz, from the Topsia area in East Kolkata. According to sources familiar with the probe, investigators suspect Izaz served as a key local contact for Alam.

STF officials have so far remained tight-lipped about the precise timing and operational details of the arrests. Preliminary investigations indicate the two were in contact with ISI operatives, though efforts are still underway to conclusively establish Alam's nationality and determine the full scope of his activities in India. Investigators are also examining whether Izaz holds Indian citizenship or has links to Pakistan.

Pattern of STF Operations in West Bengal

The twin arrests come against the backdrop of intensifying counter-intelligence activity by the West Bengal STF. On 30 July, the unit arrested suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) associate Hamim Mondal from Burdwan Town in East Burdwan district. On the same night, his close associate Arpita Srakar was apprehended from Sahibganj in neighbouring Jharkhand. A second aide, Aditya Singh alias Raj, was later arrested from Kolkata, adjacent to Howrah district.

Both Mondal and Srakar reportedly had parallel connections with the Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN), a Pakistan-based terrorist-criminal group. According to investigators, SBN — operating through Srakar — allegedly targeted family members of at least six current West Bengal cabinet ministers through honey-trapping and blackmail operations.

Sensitive Documents Recovered

Among the most alarming findings from the earlier operations: from Mondal's possession, STF sleuths reportedly seized incriminating documents detailing the schedules and movements of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The recovery has sharpened concerns about the depth of the alleged network's intelligence-gathering activities within the state.

What Investigators Are Examining Next

Authorities are now working to map the full extent of the alleged network linking Alam, Izaz, and any ISI handlers. The STF's probe is expected to include forensic analysis of devices and communications seized during the arrests. Given the pattern of recent arrests — spanning multiple districts and a neighbouring state — investigators are reportedly treating the cases as potentially interconnected threads of a broader cross-border intelligence operation.