Indian couple charged with spying on Kashmiris, Sikhs in Germany

BERLIN: An Indian couple has been charged with spying on Kashmiris and Sikhs in Germany for Indian covert agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

The couple was charged with sharing information with RAW on Kashmir movement and Sikh groups, in return for money.

Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office (GBA) filed a case against two Indian citizens at the State Security Senate of the Higher Regional Court (Staatsschutzsenat des Oberlandesgerichts) of Frankfurt on March 28.

Manmohan S, 50, and Kanwal Jit K, 51, were charged with foreign secret service agent activity in the country.

In January 2015, Manmohan agreed to obtain information about Kashmir movement and Sikh groups in Germany and their relatives. He provided information to a RAW official stationed in Germany, said a statement issued from the Federal Prosecutor's Office.

From July 2017, Kanwal, who was married to Manmohan, also joined her husband in the covert operation. Together with her husband, she took part in monthly meetings with senior RAW officers, according to the statement. She also urged her husband to perform the executive officer's assignments.

For the next six months, until the start of December, the accused had shared desired information to RAW's station chief in Germany.

In return, the Indian covert service paid 200 euros a month only to Manmohan, while from July 2017, the agency started paying the same amount to his wife as well.

As per the findings of the GBA, a total of 7,200 euros were provided to the suspected agents in return for extracting information for the Indian agency.

It is pertinent to mention here that spying is a serious offence in Germany. If convicted, the couple may get a sentence up to 10 years.