A Pakistani handler was running a paid espionage network across Delhi-NCR and Mumbai using WhatsApp, recruiting ordinary citizens to film and share real-time location data of railway stations, security agency offices and defence establishments — until Ghaziabad Police dismantled it with six arrests in Kaushambi, the Times of India reported.
The group first made contact with the Pakistani number through a WhatsApp group, police said. Once in, they were tasked to recruit more members willing to share sensitive information for money — paid Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per assignment. Acting on instructions from the Pakistani number, the accused filmed sensitive locations including railway stations, RPF and GRP deployment points, and offices of security agencies across NCR and Mumbai, sending back photos, videos and exact location data.
Related News |
The network had gone further than surveillance. According to the report, one of the accused had installed a hidden camera at Delhi Cantt railway station months before the arrests, relaying information about the area and its surroundings to the handler. Details of not just railway infrastructure but defence areas and government offices in Mumbai had also been shared. Government agencies have since been alerted, police said.
A scan of the arrested persons’ phones revealed multiple photos sent to a foreign number, along with call records to the Pakistani contact. “Prima facie, the chats found on their phones contained images from several locations in NCR and Mumbai, though some material had been deleted,” the report quoted an ACP-rank officer.
Related News |
The six arrested — Suhai Malik (23) from Bijnor, Sane Iram (25) alias Mehak from Kaushambi, Raj Valmiki (19) from Auraiya, Siva Valmiki (20) from Badaun, and Ritik Gangwar (23) from Shahjahanpur — were traced after a tip-off. Eight mobile phones were recovered. An FIR was registered under Sections 152 and 61(2) of the BNS and Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act.
The Kaushambi arrests reportedly comes days after six men in Masuri were charged under UAPA for allegedly following banned terror outfits and sharing related content on WhatsApp, pointing to a pattern of Pakistan-linked recruitment operations running simultaneously across western Uttar Pradesh.
Investigation is ongoing.
