A clerk working at the Indian Naval Headquarters in New Delhi has been apprehended for allegedly spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The individual, identified as Vishal Yadav, is accused of leaking sensitive military information, including details related to Operation Sindoor.
Yadav, a resident of Haryana and an Upper Division Clerk (UDC) in the Directorate of Dockyard at Nausena Bhawan, was taken into custody by the Intelligence Wing of the Rajasthan Police. He was found to be in regular contact with a woman identifying herself as "Priya Sharma," who is believed to be an ISI operative. According to police, the two communicated and shared classified information via social media platforms.
Vishnukant Gupta, a senior police official, stated that the Rajasthan Police's CID Intelligence team had been monitoring Pakistani espionage activities when Yadav came under suspicion. The investigation revealed that Yadav had been in contact with the female handler for an extended period, allegedly lured by financial incentives.
Preliminary interrogations suggest that Yadav was addicted to online gaming and, seeking to alleviate his financial burdens, began compromising national security. He purportedly supplied sensitive information to the Pakistani handler in exchange for payments made through his cryptocurrency trading account and direct bank transfers. Allegedly, Yadav received ₹2 lakh, including ₹50,000 for information regarding Operation Sindoor.
Operation Sindoor, a four-day military offensive conducted by India from May 7 to May 10, was reportedly launched in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam. Forensic analysis of Yadav's mobile phone revealed that he had been sharing confidential naval and defense-related information with the Pakistani handler even during this operation. The leaked information is said to include details about defense installations.
Yadav has been remanded to police custody for four days, and is currently being interrogated by multiple intelligence agencies at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur. Authorities are working to assess the full extent of the damage caused by the leak and to identify any other individuals involved in the espionage network. Mr. Satwan, a Special Public Prosecutor, said that Yadav would be interrogated about the documents shared by him as well as his accomplices in the espionage activities during the remand period. It is believed that Yadav was on surveillance since 2022.
The arrest is part of a larger crackdown on Pakistani espionage activities across the country, which has intensified since the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed over 26 civilian lives. In a related development, a Haryana-based YouTuber and vlogger, Jyoti Malhotra, was also taken into custody for espionage after investigators uncovered her links to a Pakistani official posted at the High Commission in New Delhi. Also, Rajasthan authorities had detained a state government employee, Shakur Khan, in Jaisalmer for allegedly spying for Pakistani interests.
This incident highlights the ongoing threat of espionage and the importance of vigilance in safeguarding sensitive information. Indian security agencies are continuing their efforts to dismantle these networks and bring those involved to justice.
