The Uttar Pradesh police rubbished the Chinese foreign ministry’s claim that the three spies arrested from from Rupaideeha in Bahraich were tourists who had crossed into India by mistake. “The three Chinese nationals were arrested because they were clicking photos of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) camps which are prohibited areas. The SSB also seized an Indian PAN card from them,” Brij Lal , the state’s additional director general of police, said on Thursday. ” They are remanded in judicial custody for 14 days and we are appointing a translator to help the investigators.” China on Thursday urged India to ” properly handle” the issue. Hong Lei, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson in Beijing, said the Chinese embassy in India was getting in touch with the Indian police for further information.
Hong termed as “groundless” reports that the three Chinese citizens were spies or had engaged in money-laundering. But Lal said the Indian PAN card in their possession had ” created doubts” about their antecedents. The external affairs ministry has sought a report from the Union home ministry on the issue. “As the incident is under the jurisdiction of the home ministry and related bodies, it is being handled by them. We have sought a report from those concerned ministries and organs such as immigration departments to ascertain the facts,” a senior external affairs ministry source said in Delhi. It is understood that the external affairs ministry will deport the Chinese nationals if advised by the home ministry.
The Chinese spokesperson referred to the apprehended Chinese nationals as tourists who were on holiday on the Nepal- India border and mistakenly crossed over to India. But Lal said the Chinese have been booked under the Passport Act not only because their activities were mysterious but also because they failed to show any passport or visa. Those arrested - a woman and two men, who claimed to be engineers engaged in installation of mobile phone towers in Nepal on behalf of Chinese cell phone giant Huawei. They were identified as Yu Uyang, Che Rang and Li Soto.
“They were staying in a hotel in Nepalganj area of Banke district of Nepal and entered Rupaideeha. They can move freely in Nepal but it is illegal for them to enter India. It is also illegal for to click photos of prohibited areas,” Sanjay Kakkar, Bahraich superintendent of police, said. “They left their car in Nepalganj in Banke district of Nepal and entered Rupaideeha,” he added. The Bahraich police on Thursday moved an application before chief judicial magistrate M. P. Dwivedi for the police remand of the arrested Chinese nationals. The case has been posted for hearing on Saturday.
