Espionage crackdown: ISI-linked spy arrested in UP, used trade route to pass sensitive info

According to officials, Shahzad reportedly made several trips to Pakistan over the past few years, during which he allegedly built links with ISI operatives.

A resident of Tanda in Uttar Pradesh was arrested on Sunday for allegedly working as a spy for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the state’s Special Task Force (STF) said.

The accused, identified as Shahzad, was nabbed by the STF’s Moradabad unit following specific intelligence inputs about his role in cross-border smuggling and espionage.

According to officials, Shahzad reportedly made several trips to Pakistan over the past few years, during which he allegedly built links with ISI operatives.

As per investigators, he was involved in smuggling goods - cosmetics, clothes, and spices across the India-Pakistan border - likely putting up a front for intelligence gathering and espionage, as per an India Today report.

According to the STF, Shahzad was passing on sensitive information related to India’s national security to his Pakistani handlers. He has also been accused of facilitating the recruitment of Indian nationals into ISI-linked activities, states the report.

Officials said he reportedly helped send people from Rampur and nearby areas to Pakistan under the guise of smuggling, with travel documents allegedly arranged with ISI support.

In addition, Shahzad had transferred funds to ISI agents operating in India. He also allegedly procured and distributed Indian SIM cards to Pakistani operatives, aiding covert communication networks, it has been learnt from the report.

His arrest comes amid a broader crackdown on a suspected ISI-backed espionage ring in India.

In recent weeks, several individuals, including social media influencers and YouTubers, have been detained for similar charges.

Shahzad had been under surveillance after intelligence agencies flagged his suspected involvement in smuggling and espionage activities carried out under the protection of Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus.

A case has been filed against him under Sections 148 and 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the ATS police station in Lucknow.

He has been produced before a magistrate, and further legal proceedings are underway.