The Delhi Police Special Cell has busted a suspected Pakistan-backed espionage network and arrested a Delhi-based couple for allegedly spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) since 2024. Police identified the accused as Sahil, 25, and his wife Sameera, 21. Investigators allege that the couple supplied Indian SIM cards, gathered sensitive information and helped recruit people for espionage activities.

Police said Sahil and Sameera remained in contact with Pakistan-based intelligence operatives. The couple allegedly helped the handlers obtain sensitive information related to India. The investigation has traced links from Delhi to Karachi and Islamabad. Pakistani handlers allegedly sent money to the couple for their activities.

According to police, the couple obtained eight Indian SIM cards and sent them to Pakistan through Dubai between 2024 and 2025. The handlers allegedly paid them Rs 30,000 for the SIM cards. Police said the numbers were later used to activate WhatsApp accounts in Pakistan. Pakistani intelligence operatives allegedly used these accounts to contact people in India and collect sensitive information.

Some of these WhatsApp accounts were also allegedly used to join Indian WhatsApp groups. The operatives attempted to obtain information from these groups, police said. Investigators also found that Pakistan-based handlers were communicating with people in India through social media and encrypted communication platforms. These contacts allegedly included overground workers and sleeper cells.

Police allege that Sahil also carried out reconnaissance of cantonment areas in different parts of India. He was allegedly asked to gather information about military locations and recruit people for espionage and field operations. Investigators further found that Sahil allegedly provided information about Army personnel facing court-martial proceedings before a tribunal.

The Special Cell said the investigation indicates that the network went beyond collecting general information. The alleged activities focused on sensitive details linked to Indian defence establishments and military operations. Police are now examining the wider network and its contacts in India.

The investigation began after the Special Cell received information about logistical support allegedly being provided to terrorist organisations, their overground workers and sleeper cells. During the probe, officers identified local individuals who were allegedly helping the network obtain Indian SIM cards. They also allegedly helped maintain communication between Pakistan-based handlers and people in India.

The case came to light after police arrested Sahil, son of Mohammad Asfaq, from Chand Bibi Camp in Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi. Investigators conducted a forensic examination of his mobile phone and allegedly found chats with Pakistani agents. These conversations helped police trace the network and identify Sameera's alleged involvement.

Police later arrested Sameera. Her mobile phone allegedly contained WhatsApp chats and conversations involving Sahil and Pakistan-based handlers. Investigators said Sahil first came in contact with a Pakistani agent through Instagram in 2024. Sameera allegedly facilitated the contact. Sahil had met Sameera in 2022, before the two got married.

The Pakistani agent later introduced the couple to a Pakistani intelligence operative. Police allege that the operative persuaded them to join the network by offering financial benefits. The couple was also allegedly assigned to provide logistical support to the network in Delhi. They were further tasked with recruiting other people for espionage and field operations.

Police recovered two mobile phones from the couple. The devices allegedly contained conversations with Pakistani intelligence operatives. They also allegedly contained information about the network's contacts and activities in India. Investigators are examining the material to identify other people who may have been connected to the alleged espionage network.

Sahil, born in 2001, holds a BA degree from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in Delhi. Police said he had worked with a lawyer and was planning to pursue an LLB. He left his job in June 2025 and has been unemployed since then.

Sameera, born in 2005, studied up to Class 12 at Kanya Vidyalaya in Keshav Puram. She later completed a BA through correspondence. Before her arrest, she worked at a call centre in Noida.

The Special Cell said the arrests have provided crucial leads about the Pakistan-based intelligence network and its alleged contacts in India. Investigators are continuing to examine the network's operations, communication channels and the role of other suspected members.