Indian Couple Arrested in Germany for Spying on Sikhs, Kashmiris – Report

They couple were caught spying on the Sikh community in Germany while also keeping tabs on Kashmiri movements there. Prison terms for such charges can go as high as ten years under German laws, depending on the seriousness of the case.

New Delhi (Sputnik): German law enforcement personnel have arrested two people, a husband and wife, charging them for espionage, reports NDTV. The married couple are accused of keeping tabs on the Sikh community in Germany, in addition to Kashmiris, through covert means, the media report reads.

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Although the charges were slapped on them on 28 March, the announcement on this was made only on Tuesday by German prosecutors in the city of Karlsruhe.

In adherence to privacy rules prevalent in Germany for criminal defendants, the accused have been identified only by their first names and age. The male suspect, Manmohan, is 50 years old, while the woman, Kanwaljit, is 51 years old. 

"Manmohan S. agreed by January 2015 at the latest to provide information about Germany's Sikh community and Kashmir movement and their relatives to an employee of the Indian foreign intelligence service Research & Analysis Wing," the media report read quoting German prosecutors.

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Manmohan’s wife Kanwaljit allegedly used to join him in monthly meetings with an officer from Indian intelligence between July and December 2017. According to the media report, the couple were paid a total of 7,200 Euros ($8,100 approx) for their espionage, the report added.