Arrested spies are from three states - Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
From Jyoti Malhotra to Devender Singh: 11 'Pak spies' caught in India over 3 days
A YouTuber, security guard and an app developer were among the 11 people caught red-handed by the police for allegedly passing on sensitive information about India's national security and military to Pakistani operatives.
The accused were lured into the spy network through social media, monetary incentives, false promises, messaging apps and personal visits to Pakistan.
Over three days, 11 people have been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan in multiple states amid a nationwide crackdown on those involved in espionage activities in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Among the most prominent arrests made was a Haryana-based travel vlogger named Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested for allegedly leaking sensitive information. Other accused arrested are students, a security guard, commoners and an app developer -- reports 'India Today'.
The accused were lured into the spy network through social media, monetary incentives, false promises, messaging apps and personal visits to Pakistan.
The use of social media influencers and young people - in their 20s and 30s - in these networks has also highlighted the evolving nature of espionage, where seemingly innocuous channels can be exploited for intelligence gathering.
All the 11 arrests occurred in three states - Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Here's a list of the accused arrested so far for allegedly snooping for Pakistan:
One is AAP-ruled and two others are BJ-ruled states.
GAZALA AND YAMEEN MOHAMMED
Along with Jyoti Malhotra, police also arrested Gazala, a 32-year-old widow and Yameen Mohammad from Punjab's Malerkotla, for allegedly sharing information with Pakistani agents in exchange for money.
The accused collaborated with Danish, the former Pakistani High Commission staffer, in financial dealings and visa-related activities.
After their arrest, it was revealed that Danish frequently met them. They approached him to obtain Pakistani visas. Moreover, money was transferred online to their mobile phones through him. Their job was to funnel money to their espionage network.
Jyoti Malhotra, a YouTuber from Hisar, was being "developed as an asset", police said on Sunday.
She runs a YouTube channel called 'Travel with Jo', and was in touch with Pakistani agents during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, but had no direct access to any defence-related information.
The influencer, who has 3.85 lakh subscribers on YouTube, travelled to Pakistan three times - in 2023, 2024, and in March 2025 - ahead of the Pahalgam terror attack.
She came in contact with a Pakistani High Commission staffer, Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, who was expelled by India recently. She is currently on a five-day police remand.
DEVENDER SINGH
A 25-year-old political science student from Khalsa College in Punjab's Patiala, Devender Singh was arrested in Haryana's Kaithal for allegedly spying for Pakistan. Police said he was found to have shared sensitive information with ISI agents, including pictures of the Patiala military cantonment.
Devender Singh had allegedly uploaded photos of pistols and guns on Facebook at the time of his arrest. During questioning, it emerged that he visited Pakistan in November last year.
ARMAN
A 26-year-old man from Nuh, identified as Arman, was another suspected spy who was held alongside Jyoti Malhotra for allegedly sharing sensitive information about the Indian Army and other military activities with Pakistan. Police recovered conversations, photos, and videos sent to Pakistani numbers from his phone.
TAREEF
Tareef was the second person from Nuh to be arrested for alleged espionage activities. During questioning, Tarif revealed he was in contact with two individuals from the Pakistan Embassy, who had provided him with SIM cards. He frequently travelled to Pakistan.
Eventually, embassy officials instructed him to go to Sirsa and send photographs of the airport. Interrogation is ongoing.
NAUMAN ILLAHI
On May 15, another suspected spy, a 24-year-old man, was arrested in Haryana's Panipat for allegedly being in touch with a Pakistan-based agent linked to ISI. The suspect, Nauman Ilahi from Uttar Pradesh, was working as a factory security guard and is accused of supplying sensitive information to Pakistan.
Illahi, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Kairana, had visited Pakistan multiple times. All his electronic equipment has been seized.
MOHAMMAD MURTAZA ALI
Police arrested Mohammad Murtaza Ali in Punjab's Jalandhar for allegedly spying for ISI. He reportedly carried out espionage activities through a mobile app developed by himself.
Four mobile phones and three SIM cards were seized from his possession, police said.
SHEHZAD
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested a man, identified as Shehzad, allegedly involved in espionage for ISI. Shehzad, a resident of Rampur district, was taken into custody from Moradabad on Saturday.
Investigations revealed that Shehzad had travelled to Pakistan multiple times and was engaged in illegal cross-border trade of cosmetics, clothing, spices, and other goods. The smuggling racket allegedly served as a front for his espionage activities, police said.
He is accused of establishing close contact with multiple ISI operatives and supplying them with sensitive and confidential information related to India's national security. SUKHPREET SINGH
The Punjab Police arrested two people, including Sukhpreet Singh, in Gurdaspur for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
The accused was "engaged in sharing classified details related to Operation Sindoor, including troop movements and key strategic locations in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, with ISI," Director General of Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav said.
DIG Border Range Satinder Singh said the ISI made the accused active after the Pahalgam terror attack and Rs 1 lakh was transferred to their accounts. The accused is said to be either aged 19 or 20.
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| 'India Today' |
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