A high-stakes espionage ring allegedly linked to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been dismantled in Delhi, leading to the arrest of two individuals. The operation, which intelligence agencies meticulously planned and executed over three months, thwarted a potential terrorist strike in the nation's capital.
The arrested individuals include Ansarul Miya Ansari, a Pakistani operative allegedly tasked with gathering sensitive information about the Indian armed forces. Investigations are also pointing towards the potential involvement of staffers from the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. ISI officers Muzammil and Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, are under suspicion for cultivating Indian YouTubers and influencers as part of the plot.
The covert operation began with a tip received in January about a spy dispatched by the ISI to collect sensitive documents, pictures, and Google coordinates, with Delhi as the intended destination via Nepal. As the investigation progressed, it became clear that the collected information was intended for planning a terror attack in Delhi.
Despite the urgency, intelligence officials waited until mid-February to make their move. By then, Ansari had arrived in Delhi and acquired confidential military documents. On February 15, authorities apprehended Ansari in central Delhi while he was en route back to Pakistan via Nepal, seizing sensitive documents in his possession.
The operation has been hailed as a masterclass in espionage, with officials consistently staying ahead of the spy's moves. Intelligence personnel were actively gathering information on Pakistan-backed terror groups operating in India and the sleeper cells providing them with logistical support.
Further investigation revealed the involvement of Akhlaque Azam, a resident of Ranchi, who provided logistical support to Ansari within India. Azam was arrested in March. Analysis of their mobile devices revealed suspicious conversations between the two accused and their Pakistani handlers, indicating a larger conspiracy. An FIR has been registered under the Officials Secrets Act, and the court has acknowledged the chargesheet, with the trial set to commence soon. Both men are currently held in a high-security section of Tihar jail under close surveillance to prevent them from influencing other inmates.
These recent arrests are part of a broader crackdown on espionage activities linked to the ISI across multiple states. In the past few weeks, at least a dozen individuals, including a YouTuber, have been arrested in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, revealing a network of suspected spies with ties to Pakistan.
The individuals arrested come from diverse backgrounds, including students, security guards, businessmen, and even a techie. They are accused of passing sensitive military information, such as troop movements and strategic locations, to Pakistani intelligence.
The use of social media platforms has emerged as a key element in these espionage activities. Several of those arrested, including Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, are accused of using their online presence to share sensitive information with ISI operatives. Malhotra, who runs a travel channel, is believed to have been in contact with a Pakistani official and visited Pakistan in 2023, where she allegedly met with ISI operatives.
