Suspected ISI agent Javed Mozawala signed up for the party's youth wing eight months ago after Rahul Gandhi's mass membership drive for the Indian Youth Congress

Rahul Gandhi's impassioned exhorts to youngsters to join the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) a few months back found resonance in some unlikely quarters too.They managed to inspire an alleged mole from the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to climb aboard the Grand Old Party's youth wing.Eight months ago, Gandhi had appealed to the country's youth to join the IYC to boost his supporter base. Following his entreaty, lakhs of youngsters had signed up for membership of the party's youth chapter.As it turns out, one of them was Javed Abdul Gafoor Mozawala (28), recently arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch on charges of forgery, spying on the country and violating the Official Secrets Act.Mozawala reportedly enrolled himself from ward number 222 in south Mumbai."A total of 1,390 youth joined the Congress Party from ward number 222 eight months back.Among them, Mozawala had also filled a membership form," said a youth leader from south Mumbai, on condition of anonymity.Sources from the party told MiD DAY that he was sponsored by Naved Shaikh, son of oil mafioso Mohammad Ali Shaikh, allegedly a Dawood Ibrahim aide arrested for the murder of diesel don Chand Madar.Naved has spent around Rs 25 lakh in the way of membership fees for various aspiring members including Mozawala.The idea was to ascend the ladder and become a party suzerain by initiating as many youngsters as possible into the youth wing.But, Naved was kicked out of the party after his father's alleged underworld links were exposed.Mumbai Crime Branch officials arrested Mozawala on December 10 from his residence at Infinity Tower in Mazgaon.He was produced in the Killa Court yesterday where Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate V V Bambarde remanded him to police custody until December 22.Mozawala alleged in court that he had been subjected to third-degree torture by cops during interrogation.According to the police, Mozawala, an alleged close associate of Chhota Shakeel, had been relaying sensitive information to two Pakistani diplomats on deputation at the Pakistani High Command in Delhi.The Crime Branch has recorded the statements of Mozawala's confederates Munir Khan and Fakir Ali as well. Both attested to the fact that Mozawala is an ISI accessory.Mozawala's brother, Asif, and his wife, however, rubbished the allegations.Javed Juneza, Congress president, Mumbadevi constituency, said, "I don't know the details but I believe he could have enrolled in the party's youth wing through open membership."