Two weeks after India conducted Operation Sindoor, security agencies are now dealing with a new internal threat. Over the past 11 days, they have arrested eight individuals accused of spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The arrests took place in four states: Haryana, Punjab, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. These cases have revealed a coordinated effort to lure Indian citizens using money, fake promises, and honeytraps.

The eight people arrested are-

Ghazala, arrested from Malerkotla, Punjab, on May 8: Officials said Ghazala visited the Pakistan High Commission in February 2025 to apply for a visa. There, she met a Pakistani official named Danish. She started sharing information about army trucks, military locations, and other sensitive areas. Authorities traced a ₹30,000 UPI transaction made to her. She returned to the High Commission in April, accompanied by her friend Banu Nasrina, again using Danish as a contact.

Devendra Singh Dhillon, arrested from Kaithal, Haryana, on May 12: Police arrested 25-year-old Devendra Singh from Guhla in Kaithal district after he shared photos with firearms on social media. He is a postgraduate student in political science studying in Punjab. In 2023, he visited Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, where he reportedly established contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives. He stayed in touch with them after returning to India.

Nauman Ilahi, arrested from Panipat, Haryana, on May 13: Authorities arrested 24-year-old Nauman, originally from Uttar Pradesh, who was working as a security guard in Panipat. They accused him of spying for a Pakistani handler named Iqbal alias Kana. Police found eight passports in his possession and confirmed he had travelled to Pakistan four times. He allegedly passed on information about troop movements and railway activity. His aunt and maternal aunt live in Pakistan, which allowed him easier cross-border access. He got involved after police arrested Kaleem, an associate of Iqbal.

Murtaza, arrested from Jalandhar, Punjab, on May 16: Murtaza, who is from Bihar, worked on developing an app during heightened India-Pakistan tensions. The app allegedly transmitted Indian news clips and internal updates to handlers in Pakistan. Authorities flagged ₹40 lakh in transactions within a single month. Police also recovered four mobile phones, three SIM cards, and several suspicious videos.

Armaan, arrested from Nuh, Haryana, on May 17: Police arrested 26-year-old Armaan, a student, for sharing information about the Indian Army and military operations. He allegedly passed this data to an employee at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi.

Jyoti Malhotra, arrested from Hisar, Haryana, on May 18: Jyoti, a YouTuber, had travelled to Pakistan three times, twice as part of Sikh pilgrim groups. She reportedly built a relationship with a High Commission staffer named Danish and shared sensitive information with him. Reports also say she travelled with him to Bali, Indonesia. After losing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jyoti turned to content creation, and her videos often portrayed Pakistan positively.

Priyanka Senapati, under investigation in Odisha after Jyoti's arrest: Odisha Police are investigating Priyanka Senapati, a vlogger based in Puri, and her links to Jyoti Malhotra. Police confirmed that Priyanka visited Pakistan earlier this year. About three months ago, she went to Kartarpur Sahib and uploaded videos of the trip to her YouTube channel. Officials said Jyoti did not accompany her on that trip, but they noted that both had travelled together within India, including to Kashmir and Kerala. Police questioned Priyanka at her home.

Shahzad, arrested from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, on May 18: Police arrested Shahzad, a businessman from Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on charges of spying for Pakistan. Acting on specific intelligence, the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force (STF) detained him in Moradabad a day earlier. Authorities suspect him of involvement in cross-border smuggling and espionage on behalf of Pakistan’s ISI.

Officials said all the arrested individuals are between 20 and 35 years of age. The Ministry of Home Affairs is closely monitoring the ongoing investigation.