Man allegedly spying for Pakistan made vain attempts to extract defence information: Mumbai police

The visa agent held for allegedly spying for Pakistan made an unsuccessful attempt to extract defence-related information from a navy official, a senior crime branch officer said today.

Javed Abdul Gafoor Mozawala, a resident of Mazgaon in Mumbai, was arrested on December 10 for spying for a foreign country and has been booked under the Official Secrets Act.

Police have claimed to have seized "confidential" military documents from his house.

"Mozawala tried to develop contact with the Navy official whom he met in a train from Delhi to Mumbai an year ago. The accused tried to become very friendly with the Navy man, but the official did not respond to him and did not share any information," the officer said.

He, however, did not disclose if the Navy official was questioned.

"But question still remains how Mozawala managed to obtain confidential documents pertaining to defence establishments."

Mozawala was carrying out anti-national activities at the behest of two officials of Pakistan high commission, police said.

Meanwhile, joint police commissioner Himanshu Roy said they have a strong case against Mozawala.

"Our probe established beyond doubt that the accused supplied sensitive information to the two officials in Pakistan High Commission. He must have passed several crucial details related to sensitive locations before his arrest," Roy said.

Mozawala was specifically asked to develop good contact with defence personnel due to which he tried to meet the Navy official either for lunch or dinner and extract defence information.

However, the official did not entertain him, police sources said.

A former MLA is a close relative of Mozawala but the politician has distance himself from the accused, they said.

As part of the investigation, Mozawala was taken to western naval command in Mumbai, a Navy facility in Lonavla (in Pune district), Bandra Worli Sea Link here and Koyna dam in Satara district - the places he is alleged to have surveyed, they added.