Tuesday, September 13 2005 16:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Smashing an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) base in Punjab, Delhi Police has arrested an alleged agent of the Pakistani intelligence agency who had been tasked to provide shelter to other operatives.

"Mohd Ramzan (53) was arrested from Malerkotla in Sangrur district of Punjab for providing shelter and other secret information relating to Ambala cantonment to the ISI agent Irfan Kausar, who was arrested here on September 7," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Tajendra Luthra told reporters here.

Ramzan was allegedly in direct contact with Pakistani intelligence officers and was working to provide shelter to other ISI agents, he said.

Running a shop of metal polishing in Malerkotla, he had allegedly visited Pakistan four times.

Ramzan was arrested on the basis of revelations made by Irfan, a Pakistani national, arrested four days back from a cyber cafe in Bikaji Cama Place area of South Delhi.

"He had allegedly provided shelter to Irfan at the behest of a Pakistani intelligence officer Arif," Luthra said.

"During his Pakistan visit he came in contact with ISI officials through his sister, who married a Pakistani national. He met ISI officers at their Lahore based office, who told him that they would send him money through their agents in lieu of the shelter and other help provided to them," the DCP said.

Irfan, hailing from Gujranwala district of Pakistan's Punjab province, was nabbed from the cyber cafe when he was allegedly sending secret information about the Indian military to his mentors through the Internet.