The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a man named Shehzad, a resident of Rampur district, on charges of espionage and aiding Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He was apprehended on Saturday in Moradabad as part of a nationwide crackdown on ISI-linked operatives, which has recently seen the arrest of social media influencers and YouTubers suspected of similar activities.
According to an ATS press release, Shehzad had long been under surveillance based on credible intelligence that linked him to smuggling operations along the India-Pakistan border, conducted under the protection of Pakistani intelligence. He had traveled to Pakistan multiple times, ostensibly for trade in goods like cosmetics, clothing, and spices, but officials allege that this trade acted as a cover for espionage activities.
The ATS investigation revealed a deeper connection to ISI operatives. Shehzad reportedly supplied confidential and sensitive information to ISI handlers, and went beyond spying by facilitating ISI-linked operations within India. Notably, he is accused of:
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Transferring funds to Pakistani agents in India
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Helping people travel from Uttar Pradesh to Pakistan for recruitment under the guise of smuggling
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Arranging Indian SIM cards for ISI agents, aiding in covert communication
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Coordinating with ISI operatives to arrange visas and travel documents for Indian nationals sent across the border
Authorities say that Shehzad’s actions posed a serious threat to national security, as they involved recruitment, logistics support, and intelligence sharing.
He has been booked under Sections 148 and 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (the updated Indian penal code framework), and presented before a magistrate in Lucknow. Legal proceedings are now underway, and further investigation is expected to unravel the broader ISI network operating through similar civilian channels in India.
