Indian diplomat held for spying

A mid-ranking Indian diplomat, working out of the country's mission in Islamabad, has been arrested and accused of passing on secrets to Pakistan's notorious ISI spy agency.

Madhuri Gupta, a second secretary at the Indian high commission, who worked in the mission's press wing, was arrested after she had returned to Delhi. It is believed to be the first time an Indian diplomat has been accused of spying against the country.

"We have reasons to believe that an official in the high commission of India in Pakistan had been passing information to Pakistani intelligence agencies," said Vishnu Prakash, a spokesman for India's foreign ministry. "The matter is under investigation. The official is co-operating with our investigating agencies."

It has been reported that the 53-year-old single woman was arrested five days ago and has been placed before a court. One report has said she is accused of passing on information, including classified documents, from the office of India's overseas intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to the ISI. She is said to have been doing so for the past two years.