Love, marriage and an Instagram ‘agent: How Delhi couple landed in Pak espionage case
· India · Indian Express, Times of India
Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Sahil, 25, a lawyer's assistant, and his wife Sameera, 21, a Noida call centre employee, for alleged links to a Pakistan-based espionage network. Police said Sameera was in contact with a Pakistani 'agent' on Instagram before the couple's 2024 marriage, and introduced Sahil to the handler, who gradually recruited them into a Pakistani intelligence network. Between 2024 and 2025, the couple allegedly sent eight Indian SIM cards to Pakistan via Dubai and were paid Rs 30,000 for them; the numbers were used by ISI-linked operatives to approach Indians and collect sensitive information. Police also alleged the couple conducted reconnaissance of cantonment areas and identified Army personnel facing court martial or tribunal cases, and were tasked with recruiting more operatives. Sahil was arrested from his Nizamuddin residence after investigators traced SIM cards linked to WhatsApp numbers used from Pakistan, and his wife was subsequently taken into custody
Why it matters
The case exposes how Pakistan's ISI-linked network is using social media to recruit Indian civilians for SIM supply, surveillance of military installations, and subversion efforts, posing a direct national security threat that demands stronger monitoring of cross-border digital recruitment via platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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