Espionage crackdown: Nine accused of spying for Pakistan arrested

The arrests in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh come amid a crackdown on espionage networks after the Pahalgam terror attack and India's Operation Sindoor retaliation

Following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, Indian authorities have detained at least nine individuals across Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh on suspicion of spying for Pakistan amid a broader clampdown on espionage. The arrests include four people in Haryana, three in Punjab and one in Uttar Pradesh. 

The arrest of a travel content creator on espionage charges prompted Hisar Police to caution that young social media influencers were being targeted by foreign agencies. Hisar SP Shashank Kumar Sawan told reporters, "For easy money, such influencers go on the wrong path."

The nine individuals under arrest

Jyoti Malhotra: Haryana-based travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, who runs the YouTube channel Travel with JO, was taken into custody last week. She allegedly shared sensitive defence-related information with Pakistani contacts. According to police, she had established contact with an officer from the Pakistan High Commission and had visited Pakistan at least twice. Authorities suspect Pakistani intelligence operatives were attempting to recruit her as an asset. 

 

 

Police revealed that Malhotra had travelled to eight countries, including China and Pakistan. Investigators believe she was in communication with a Pakistani officer named Danish, posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, during the brief military confrontation that followed India’s Operation Sindoor. Police have seized her electronic devices for examination. In March last year, she had visited the Pakistani embassy and posted a video online.

 

Devendra Singh Dhillon: Devendra Singh Dhillon, a 25-year-old political science student at Khalsa College in Patiala, was held in Kaithal on 12 May. He had posted photos of weapons on Facebook, and during interrogation, officials found he had travelled to Pakistan through the Kartarpur corridor in November last year. He allegedly provided sensitive information to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

 

Kaithal SP Aastha Modi stated that Dhillon also shared images of the Patiala military cantonment with ISI officers. His phone has been sent for forensic analysis, and authorities are investigating financial transactions linked to him.

 

Nauman Ilahi: Security guard Nauman Ilahi, 24, originally from Uttar Pradesh, was arrested in Panipat a few days earlier. Police say he was in contact with an ISI handler and received money through his brother-in-law’s bank account for passing on information. Ilahi, who worked in a factory and lived with his sister and brother-in-law in Hali Colony, Panipat, was detained last Tuesday. Police allege he sent information to Islamabad through covert means.

 

Arman: The 23-year-old suspect was arrested in Nuh, Haryana, on 16 May after intelligence alerts. He is accused of transmitting sensitive details to Pakistan amid heightened bilateral tensions. Police confirmed that they have supporting evidence and that investigations are ongoing.

 

Tarif: Two days after Arman's arrest, Tarif was taken into custody in Kangarka village, also in Nuh. Police said he attempted to delete WhatsApp chats when they approached him. Forensic checks revealed data linked to Pakistani numbers had been wiped.   

YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra: Accusations & charges against her

 

According to police, Tarif made a confession in a recorded video, admitting to tasks including capturing images of the Sirsa airbase. He claimed to have been in regular contact with Pakistani officials, having first visited the Pakistan embassy in 2018. "I went to the Pakistan Embassy in 2018 for my visa," he said. "A Pakistani officer interviewed me, took my number, and later asked me to provide two new SIM cards in exchange for a visa."

 

Tarif further claimed that the same official contacted him again later, asking him to recommend others for visas in exchange for money. Over time, he allegedly referred 8–10 people. During this visit to Pakistan, he was introduced to another Pakistani officer named Jafar. "He said I may get transferred soon, so get in touch with Jafar," Tarif recounted. He added that Jafar then instructed him to visit and photograph the Sirsa airbase.

 

Shahzad: Businessman Shahzad, from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested in Moradabad by the Special Task Force (STF) on Sunday. Authorities allege he transmitted information critical to national security to his handlers. Shahzad had reportedly made multiple visits to Pakistan and was also involved in smuggling goods such as clothes, spices and cosmetics.

 

The STF said Shahzad was booked under various charges, including those related to espionage. He is a resident of Tanda in Rampur district.

 

Mohammad Murtaza Ali: Mohammad Murtaza Ali was detained by Gujarat Police during a raid in Jalandhar following a tip-off. Police say he spied for the ISI using a mobile application he had personally developed. Authorities confiscated four mobile phones and three SIM cards from him.

 

Besides these seven, two others—Gazala and Yamin Mohammad—were also arrested in Punjab on similar charges, police sources said. These arrests come amid increased tension between India and Pakistan. India had pointed to Pakistan’s terror networks after evidence emerged linking a Pakistan-backed group to the Pahalgam massacre that claimed 26 lives.

 

In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan retaliated with a barrage of missiles and drones, which were successfully intercepted. India subsequently carried out airstrikes on Pakistani airfields. A ceasefire declared on 10 May brought the four-day conflict to a halt.