A person and a lady have been arrested in India on suspicion of spying for Pakistan amid ongoing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Whereas the person is accused of appearing as a courier for info and cash, the girl is accused of allegedly utilizing her web presence to hide hyperlinks to the Pakistani spy company ISI.
The arrests come amid heightened tensions following a navy skirmish that left dozens of individuals useless and pushed South Asia to the brink of struggle.
Shehzad, recognized by solely his first title, is a businessman from Rampur within the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. He was taken into custody on Sunday and booked for offences associated to endangering India’s sovereignty and nationwide integrity.
Investigators alleged that his crossborder commerce in garments, cosmetics and spices was a entrance for his involvement with the ISI.
He had travelled to Pakistan a number of occasions, utilizing the journeys to take care of contact with ISI operatives and go on confidential info associated to India’s safety, police alleged, including that he additionally helped organize journey for different individuals to Pakistan the place they have been allegedly recruited by the ISI. As well as, police claimed, Mr Shehzad offered Indian SIM playing cards and funds to native operatives working for the Pakistani spy company.
Mr Shehzad’s arrest got here days after police in neighbouring Haryana state detained journey blogger Jyoti Malhotra on related allegations.
Ms Malhotra, who has 370,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel Journey with JO and 130,000 followers on Instagram, was arrested in Hisar on Friday.
Police alleged that she had contact with a Pakistani diplomat, Ahsan-ur-Rahim, who was expelled by India on 13 Might on suspicion of espionage.
“Throughout preliminary investigation, it was discovered that she was repeatedly in touch with a Pakistani citizen and shared delicate info,” Hisar’s deputy superintendent of police mentioned.
Police have seized her cell phone, laptop computer, and journey paperwork.
Ms Malhotra had beforehand travelled to Pakistan and posted movies of her visits to spiritual websites and native markets, her father instructed ANI information company.
Considered one of her final movies featured her attending a Ramadan dinner on the Pakistani excessive fee in New Delhi.
Investigators claimed that they have been analyzing her hyperlinks to the 22 April terrorist assault in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which left 26 individuals useless, principally Hindu vacationers, and was cited by the Indian authorities as justification for launching strikes on Pakistan.
Authorities claimed Ms Malhotra’s journey historical past, together with journeys to China, Bangladesh and Indonesia, was inconsistent along with her identified revenue sources. The Haryana police mentioned they have been pursuing leads about her potential accomplices amongst fellow content material creators.
Her father, Haris Malhotra, denied the allegations in opposition to his daughter. She had travelled with correct permissions and was focused unfairly, he mentioned.
“If she has buddies there, can’t she name them?” he instructed ANI, demanding the return of her confiscated digital gadgets.
After 4 days of intense preventing, together with missile and drone assaults on one another’s navy installations earlier this month, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on 10 Might.
