Police arrest Youtuber Wasim Akram in Palwal, allege espionage for ISI

Police in Haryana's Palwal have arrested a YouTuber named Wasim Akram on charges of spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and its High Commission, officials said on Thursday.

According to police, Akram, a resident of Kot village in Palwal district who posted videos on the history of Mewat on YouTube, was arrested on Wednesday.

He had been in touch with Pakistani agents for the past three years and allegedly provided SIM cards to them, they said.

Police have found several incriminating WhatsApp chats from Akram's phone, some of which were deleted, and the cyber cell is in the process of retrieving them from his phone.

Palwal police had arrested another Pakistani spy, Taufiq, last week, who gave the cops the lead about Akram.

Akram came in contact with Pakistani agent Danish in 2021 while applying for a visa to the neighbouring country.

Although his family denied Akram travelling to Pakistan, several facts emerged during his interrogation, which point to his cross-border links.

According to police, both Akram and Taufiq were in touch with the ISI and the Pakistan High Commission through internet calls.

SP Varun Singla has assigned the Palwal crime branch and other concerned authorities to thoroughly investigate the case.

The Intelligence Bureau is also in touch with the police. More arrests are likely to be made in the case in the coming days, police said.

Taufiq, a resident of Alimev village in the district, was arrested on September 26.

Accused of sending sensitive information to Pakistan since 2022, it was Taufiq who disclosed Akram's name during interrogation, police said.

Both the accused were in touch with the Pakistan High Commission and ISI. Crime branch teams are questioning them after taking them on police remand, SP Singla said.