Russian held for aiding German spy gets consular assistance

NEW DELHI - The Russian embassy has sent a team of consular officers to assist Olga Timoshik, a Russian woman being interrogated by Punjab Police for allegedly helping a suspected German spy.

In a statement Saturday, the embassy said it was concerned that Timoshik continued to be in custody though the Punjab Police had not proved a single charge against the 31-year-old Russian woman.

She was arrested late last month from Jaipur and has been in police remand in Punjab’s Ropar district.

Police claimed she was a “close aide” of suspected German spy Thomas Kuhn, who was arrested in May after he was found living in India without a visa and passport.

Kuhn, in his interrogation, told police that his Russian girlfriend had taken away his passport, following which they tracked the woman in Jaipur. Timoshik’s visa had also expired.

The embassy statement said Timoshik had applied for visa extension.

Consular officers have gone to Ropar “to clear up the case and provide Timoshik necessary assistance in her dealing with the authorities”, said the statement.

It quoted Timoshik’s lawyer Birinder Singh as saying that police were applying “excessive pressure” on the accused which “equated to torture”.