This Article is From Dec 02, 2010

Iranian spy case: Details sought from Pune varsity

Pune: The state government has shot off a letter to the University of Pune (UoP) asking what police action has been initiated in the case of the Iranian spy who was admitted as a PhD student by the UoP. The UoP received the query letter from the Mantralaya on Tuesday.

However, the UoP officials concerned wondered how the varsity could know about the police action against the spy. They told DNA, "How can the varsity comment on the police action, which the UoP has not initiated."

The UoP officials on Tuesday visited the police commissioner's office and requested senior police officials to reply to the Mantralaya's query. However, the police officials told UoP officials that the police cannot reply to the query letter as it has not been addressed to the city police.

Now, the UoP officials are in a quandary regarding the letter. "We don't know how to reply to the query as it has been sent to the wrong authorities. It should have been directed to the city police, who have taken appropriate action against the student. We had given him admission, but we don't know the details of the police action."

The Iranian spy, Mohammed Safani, was admitted by the UoP as a research student for PhD in 2007 when he did not have the required 'research visa' and the special branch of the Pune city police had allowed him to secure admission in its jurisdiction. According to the special branch officials, Safani was identified as a spy and deported in August.

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