Siliguri: A Bangladeshi national, suspected to be an ISI (Inter Service Intelligence) agent, was arrested by Army intelligence officials at Ghosepukur in Phansidewa in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, the officials said today (Feb 09, 2004).

The suspect, identified as Jaidev Sarkar, was nabbed by the sleuths last night and handed over to the police today.

A mobile phone, three rounds of SLR cartridge, a camera, a map of the location of Army base and some "important documents" were recovered from the possession of the man, who used to practice ayurveda in the locality for the last one year, Army officials said.

The Inspector General of Police-North Bengal (IGP), Bhupinder Singh, however, said that though his Bangladeshi nationality was established, it would be too early to confirm whether Sarkar was an ISI agent. Different State and Central agencies started interrogating him, the IGP said.

In 2001 an ISI agent, Dilshad and his associate Azad were arrested. Another ISI agent Nazrul Islam who sneaked into India through Chengrabandha border in Coochbehar district from Bangladesh was arrested at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan but managed to escape from Mekhliganj court lock-up last year and was still at large.

Police in North Bengal were keeping strict round-the-clock vigil to keep tab on activities of certain anti-national forces, particularly on ISI elements, Singh said.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had earlier said the ISI were out to destabilise the prevailing peace in the region.