Delhi police dismantle dangerous ISI espionage network operating locally

Special Cell investigators from Delhi Police have dismantled a cross-border espionage network by arresting a married couple working for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. Sahil, 25, and his 21-year-old wife Sameera allegedly began supplying sensitive military information to foreign handlers in 2024. India has faced repeated instances of cyber espionage aimed at compromising its domestic security protocols through locally recruited assets.

Smuggling SIM Cards overseas

Investigators discovered the couple procured eight Indian SIM cards and shipped them to handlers in Pakistan via Dubai between 2024 and 2025. Foreign operatives paid them Rs 30,000 for these numbers. Pakistani agents subsequently used these numbers to activate local WhatsApp accounts. These accounts allowed handlers to infiltrate regional WhatsApp groups and directly message citizens to extract classified data.

Military Reconnaissance operations

Handlers assigned Sahil the task of scouting military cantonment zones across India to identify potential new recruits. He successfully gathered and transmitted confidential details regarding Indian Army personnel currently facing court-martial proceedings. Officers noted this network actively sought highly sensitive defence intelligence rather than basic public data. Initial contact occurred on Instagram during 2024. Sameera, who met Sahil in 2022 prior to their marriage, facilitated the initial digital introduction to a foreign agent. This handler promised lucrative financial rewards for providing logistical support in Delhi. Detectives seized two mobile phones containing detailed chat logs with intelligence operatives.

Sahil holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indira Gandhi National Open University and previously worked as a legal assistant before losing his job in June 2025. Sameera completed her secondary education in Keshav Puram and secured an undergraduate degree through distance learning. She worked at a Noida call centre until her recent arrest.

Image Courtesy: HT