New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force apprehended a man in Moradabad on charges of espionage for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. The suspect, Shahzad, hails from Tanda in the Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh. Reports indicated his involvement in cross-border smuggling and espionage activities for the ISI, as reported by PTI. Shahzad is accused of relaying sensitive national security information to his contacts in Pakistan and has made multiple trips to the country.
Additionally, he is alleged to have smuggled various goods, including cosmetics, clothing, and spices across the border. According to officials cited by India Today, Shahzad not only transmitted intelligence to the ISI but also managed operations for the agency within India.
Investigations revealed that he facilitated financial transfers to other Pakistani operatives in India and assisted in sending individuals from Uttar Pradesh to Pakistan under the guise of smuggling, with the true intent of recruiting them for ISI-related activities.
These individuals were reportedly sent with visas and travel documents arranged by ISI agents. Furthermore, Shahzad is accused of providing Indian SIM cards to ISI operatives in India. His arrest is part of a broader national effort to target individuals suspected of espionage for Pakistan, particularly in light of heightened tensions following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which resulted in 26 fatalities.
In a related case, a YouTuber from Haryana, Jyoti Malhotra, was also detained on espionage charges for allegedly communicating with a Pakistani official during a recent military conflict between India and Pakistan. This official has since been declared persona non grata and expelled from India.
