In a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown against espionage, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a man in Moradabad for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The accused, identified as Shahzad, is a resident of Tanda in the Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh.
Authorities allege that Shahzad had been actively passing sensitive national security information to ISI handlers in Pakistan. Investigations revealed that he had traveled to Pakistan multiple times, where he reportedly established deeper links with intelligence operatives.
According to the STF, Shahzad’s activities went beyond espionage. He was also deeply involved in cross-border smuggling operations, dealing in goods like cosmetics, clothes, and spices. These smuggling routes allegedly served dual purposes — generating revenue and facilitating covert movement of individuals linked to ISI.
The report also suggests Shahzad was instrumental in managing ISI’s ground operations in India. He allegedly transferred funds to other Pakistani agents operating within the country and helped send individuals from Uttar Pradesh to Pakistan under the pretense of smuggling. These trips, facilitated with help from ISI agents, involved visas and legal travel documents — with the real goal of recruiting operatives for Pakistani intelligence.
Further alarming revelations include Shahzad’s alleged role in procuring Indian SIM cards for ISI agents, enhancing their ability to operate undetected on Indian soil.
Shahzad’s arrest comes in the wake of heightened national vigilance following the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which killed 26 people and escalated Indo-Pak tensions. Authorities have since intensified efforts to dismantle espionage networks operating within India.
This incident follows another recent arrest — that of Haryana-based YouTuber and vlogger Jyoti Malhotra — who was also charged with espionage. Malhotra was reportedly in communication with a Pakistani officer at the Pakistan High Commission during the May 7–10 border conflict, prompting India to expel the official.
The arrest of Shahzad underscores the growing concerns over internal threats linked to foreign intelligence networks and the challenges India faces in maintaining national security amid rising geopolitical tensions.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)