The Border Security Force detained a Chinese national at the Milik Sultanpur area in the Akandaberia gram panchayat under the Kaliachak police station in Malda this morning. According to the border guarding force, Han Junwei, 36, of Hebei province in China was a “wanted criminal” and that he may have been working in India for some Chinese intelligence agency.

A statement issued by the BSF, South Bengal Frontier, said all intelligence agencies are now working together in the case. “In the electronic equipment found from Han Junwei, many facts can be found that he was working in India for which Chinese Intelligence Agency. This apprehension is a big achievement for the Border Security Force and the matter will be investigated in the depth. Many startling details may surface,” the statement said.

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The BSF said Han had been crossing the Indo-Bangladesh border illegally. Three mobile phones and a laptop, along with his passport and other documents, were seized from him, it is learnt. According to sources, the Chinese national was detained by personnel of the 24 Battalion BSF at around 6:30 am when he tried to sneak into Indian soil from the Bangladesh side through an unfenced portion of the international border, while he had been capturing photos in his camera.

“The man held a Chinese passport with a visa for Bangladesh and had some Bangladeshi taka and US dollars with him. He was taken to the BSF camp for interrogation following his suspicious movement along the border,” a source had earlier said.

“As he crossed the International boundary and started moving stealthily, the vigilant troops on border duty challenged him and asked him to stop. On being challenged, the Chinese citizen tried to run away, but the BSF troops chased him and caught,” the BSF said in the statement. According to the BSF, Han told them that he had visited India four times earlier. He had visited Hyderabad in 2010 and Delhi Gurugram thrice after 2019.

“On further questioning, he said when he had gone to his hometown of Hubei, one of his business partners, namely Sun Jiang, sent him 10-15 Indian mobile phone SIM cards after a few days, which were received by him and his wife. But a few days ago, his business partner was caught by the ATS Lucknow. ‘He told about me and my wife, due to which a case was registered against us in ATS Lucknow.’

Due to the case registered against him, he did not get an Indian visa in China and he got a visa to Bangladesh and Nepal… so that he could come to India,” the statement added. While the BSF said that the man had not yet been handed over to the police, Malda Superintendent of Police Alok Rajoria refused to comment on the matter, as it was a national issue. “We have sent the reports to the higher authorities,” he said.