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Security agencies have arrested at least 12 individuals across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh over the last two weeks in connection with an alleged espionage ring linked to Pakistan’s intelligence services.
In a major counter-espionage crackdown, security agencies have uncovered what officials believe to be a Pakistan-linked spy network operating in north India. Over the past two weeks, at least 12 individuals — including two women and a YouTuber — have been arrested from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on charges of spying and leaking sensitive military information to Pakistan’s intelligence operatives (PIOs). Investigations point to an elaborate network with connections to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and staffers posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
According to police officials, six of the accused were apprehended in Punjab, five in Haryana, and one in Uttar Pradesh. The arrests gained momentum after the Pahalgam terror attack and during India’s military response in the form of Operation Sindoor. The individuals nabbed are accused of collecting and passing sensitive information related to troop movements, cantonment areas, and key installations.
Here's a list of those arrested, along with what investigators have revealed so far:
1. Jyoti Malhotra (Haryana) Profile:
- YouTuber from Hisar with 3.77 lakh YouTube subscribers and 1.33 lakh Instagram followers.
- Allegations: In contact with Pakistani officer Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, accused of passing sensitive information to Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs).
- Background: Met Danish at the Pakistan High Commission in 2023 while seeking a visa.
- Police Statement: Hisar SP Shashank Kumar Sawan said, “PIOs were developing Malhotra as an asset… She was allegedly in touch with Danish during the four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor.” “This is also (a kind of) warfare, in which they try to push their narrative by recruiting influencers.”
2. Guzala (Punjab)
- Profile: 31-year-old woman from Malerkotla.
- Allegations: Shared confidential Army-related information with Pakistani official Danish.
- Confession: “She was doing it for money,” said police. She allegedly received Rs 30,000 via UPI in two transactions: Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000.
3. Yameen Mohamad (Punjab)
- Profile: Resident of Malerkotla.
- Allegations: Worked with Guzala in providing sensitive military information in exchange for money through online transactions.
4. Falaksher Masih (Punjab)
- Profile: Resident of Ajnala, Amritsar.
- Allegations: Arrested for leaking photographs and information about Army cantonments and air bases to ISI.
- Police Statement: He and his associate were “collecting and transmitting crucial information such as the Army's movements, locations of BSF camps and airports, photographs, and other sensitive data to their handlers in Pakistan.”
5. Suraj Masih (Punjab)
- Profile: Also from Ajnala, Amritsar.
- Allegations: Worked alongside Falaksher Masih in the espionage activities.
6. Sukhpreet Singh (Punjab)
- Profile: Arrested on May 15.
- Allegations: Shared classified information related to Operation Sindoor, including troop movements.
- Police Statement: Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said on X, “On 15th May 2025, credible intelligence inputs indicated that Sukhpreet Singh & Karanbir Singh were engaged in sharing classified details related to #OperationSindoor, including troop movements and key strategic locations in #Punjab, #HimachalPradesh, & #JammuAndKashmir - with #Pakistan's intelligence agency, #ISI.”
7. Karanbir Singh (Punjab)
- Profile: Arrested alongside Sukhpreet Singh.
- Allegations: Also involved in leaking military details about Operation Sindoor to ISI.
8. Nauman Ilahi (Haryana)
- Profile: 24-year-old factory security guard originally from Kairana, Uttar Pradesh; arrested from Panipat, Haryana.
- Allegations: Supplied sensitive information to individuals in Pakistan; linked with a Pakistan-based ISI handler.
- Living Situation: Stayed with his sister and brother-in-law in Panipat.
9. Devender Singh (Haryana)
- Profile: 25-year-old post-graduate political science student from Guhla, Kaithal.
- Allegations: Uploaded photos with weapons on social media, visited Pakistan on pilgrimage in November 2024, came in contact with Pakistani operatives, and remained in touch.
- Police Finding: “Singh has allegedly admitted to sending some photos of Patiala cantonment by clicking pictures from outside.”
10. Armaan (Haryana)
- Profile: 26-year-old resident of Nuh district.
- Allegations: Arrested on May 18 for sharing information on the Indian Army and military activities through WhatsApp and social media.
- Police Statement: Armaan was “sharing the information for a long time through WhatsApp and social media platforms.”
11. Shahzad (Uttar Pradesh)
- Profile: Local quack arrested from Rampur by STF Moradabad.
- Allegations: Involved in cross-border smuggling and espionage for ISI.
- Activities: Travelled to Pakistan several times and smuggled cosmetics, clothes, spices, and other items across the border.
- STF Statement: He was “allegedly passing sensitive information related to national security to his handlers.”
12. Pakistani Officer Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish (Expelled)
- Profile: Posted at Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
- Allegations: Main handler in several espionage cases.
- Action Taken: “On May 13, India expelled the Pakistani official for allegedly indulging in espionage.”
With forensic analysis underway on the seized digital devices and financial transactions under scrutiny, police say more arrests may follow. The wide geographic spread and varied backgrounds of those arrested — from students to YouTubers to local professionals — point to a deep-rooted espionage network allegedly backed by Pakistan’s intelligence services.
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Security agencies are now working closely with central intelligence units to trace the full extent of the operation and identify more individuals who may have been compromised or recruited.
