The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted extensive raids on Saturday, May 31, 2025, targeting 15 locations across eight states in connection with a Pakistan-linked espionage case. The coordinated operation spanned Delhi, Maharashtra (Mumbai), Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and West Bengal.
The searches were carried out at the premises of suspects believed to have connections with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs). The NIA teams seized a substantial amount of evidence, including electronic gadgets, sensitive financial documents, and other incriminating materials. These items are currently under intense scrutiny as investigators seek to unravel the network of espionage activities allegedly orchestrated by Pakistan-based operatives as part of an anti-India terror conspiracy.
According to NIA investigations, the individuals targeted in the raids are suspected of acting as financial conduits for Pakistani operatives, facilitating espionage activities within India. The case was officially registered by the NIA on May 20, 2025, following the arrest of a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), Moti Ram, who had been allegedly sharing sensitive information with PIOs since 2023. It is alleged that Moti Ram received funds through various channels in India in exchange for leaking classified information related to national security.
In Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, the NIA team detained Munni Lal Yadav, a former village head, for questioning. Munni Lal is the elder brother of Panne Lal Yadav, a trader based in Thailand. The NIA team initially raided the ancestral home of Panne Lal Yadav in a village under the jurisdiction of Khajni Police Station, where Munni Lal Yadav was taken into custody. A second raid was conducted at a building near Azad Chowk, also linked to the Yadav family. The operation lasted for six hours and involved thorough searches and interrogations of family members.
In Kolkata, searches were conducted at three locations: a shop in Alipore, a travel agency in Khidderpore, and a hotel in Park Circus. A travel agency owner was summoned for questioning regarding suspicious money transactions, including one that occurred on April 3, 2024.
The NIA has registered the case under several sections of Indian law, including sections 61(2), 147, and 148 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The coordinated raids and ongoing investigation highlight the NIA's commitment to countering espionage and protecting national security. The agency is working to dismantle the network of individuals involved and bring them to justice.
