India's crackdown on Pakistani ‘spies’ continues: Three ‘ISI agents’ arrested over two days; know details

Punjab Police on Monday said it has arrested two persons for being involved in leaking sensitive military information to Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI. On Sunday, UP STF arrested another person.

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Published19 May 2025, 05:11 PM IST
At least 11 people have been arrested for being suspected of spying for Pakistan
At least 11 people have been arrested for being suspected of spying for Pakistan(HT_PRINT)

Over the past few days, Indian authorities have arrested at least 11 people on suspicion of “spying” for Pakistan, with two arrests made over two days between Sunday and Monday. While one man was arrested from Uttar Pradesh, two others were held in Punjab on charges of espionage.

Two arrested in Punjab

Punjab Police on Monday said it has arrested two persons for being involved in leaking sensitive military information to Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI.

Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, in a post on X, said that the Gurdaspur Police had apprehended the two persons to stop espionage.

“On 15th May 2025, credible intelligence inputs indicated that Sukhpreet Singh & Karanbir Singh were engaged in sharing classified details related to #OperationSindoor, including troop movements and key strategic locations in #Punjab, #HimachalPradesh, & #JammuAndKashmir - with #Pakistan's intelligence agency, #ISI,” he said in the post.

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“Forensic examination of their mobile phones has confirmed the intelligence inputs. The police team has also recovered 3 mobile phones and 8 live cartridges (.30 bore) from their possession,” he added.

A case has been registered under the Official Secrets Act at the Dorangala police station in Gurdaspur.

As per a report by ANI, DIG Border Range Satinder Singh said that Sukhpreet Singh and Karanbir Singh were Pakistani spies, and 1 lakh was transferred to their accounts.

“They have betrayed our nation. They were in direct touch with the ISI. The ISI made them active after the Pahalgam attack... One lakh rupees were also transferred to their accounts,” he was quoted as saying.

Singh told ANI that both the men who have been arrested are 19-20 years old and live in Gurdaspur.

UP man arrested

On Sunday, a suspected ISI agent was arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force.

The man named Shahzad was apprehended by the STF Moradabad unit after they received inputs about his alleged involvement in cross-border smuggling and espionage activities for the ISI.

The man allegedly passed sensitive information related to national security to his handlers, the STF said.

He travelled to Pakistan several times over the years and was allegedly smuggling cosmetics, clothes, spices, and other items across the border, the agency alleged.

It said in a statement that Shahzad, a resident of Tanda in Rampur, has been arrested under relevant sections, including espionage-related provisions.

Why is India arresting so many people?

Over the past few days, authorities across India have arrested various people on charges of suspected espionage. The arrests assume significance amid days of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

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India had previously accused Pakistan of facilitating the Pahalgam terror attack, and launched Operation Sindoor to destroy terror bases in the neighbouring country that New Delhi has long accused of harbouring terrorists.

At least four of these arrests were made in Haryana, five in Punjab, and two in Uttar Pradesh.

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