Days after the arrest of Haryana-based YouTuber and travel blogger Jyoti Malhotra on charges of espionage, the Uttar Pradesh Police’s Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a businessman from Rampur for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The accused, identified as Shahzad, was arrested in Moradabad after the STF received intelligence regarding his involvement in cross-border smuggling and espionage activities for Pakistan. According to officials, Shahzad had been passing sensitive national security-related information to his handlers in Pakistan.
The STF, in a statement, said Shahzad had visited Pakistan several times in recent years under the pretext of conducting business. He was reportedly engaged in smuggling items such as cosmetics, clothes, spices, and other goods across the border. However, the agency revealed that this illegal trade served as a front for his covert operations on behalf of the ISI.
Further investigation indicated that Shahzad not only shared strategic information with Pakistani agents but also played a role in facilitating their operations within India. He used to provide Indian SIM cards and money to ISI agents operating in India, according to the STF.