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Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
The 'taxi driver-spy' who almost slipped through the cracks: How India nabbed ISI's man before it was too late
How it unfolded: From Nepal route to Delhi trap Live Events Ansarul Miya Ansari's Trail: From taxi driver in Qatar to radicalised agent Akhlaque Azam: The logistics man in Ranchi Pak High Commission under lens (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In a calculated and stealthy operation that ran from January to March 2025, Indian intelligence agencies dismantled an ISI-backed spy network just in time to prevent a planned terror attack in the heart of the national capital, as reported by TOI. The mission, which authorities described as 'a masterclass in espionage craft,' ended with the arrest of two individuals: Ansarul Miya Ansari , a Pakistani-trained operative of Nepali origin, and Akhlaque Azam , an Indian national aiding the plot from 15 February, Ansari was arrested in central Delhi, found in possession of confidential documents related to the Indian Armed Forces. He was on his way to exit India via Nepal when officials moved in. This seemingly routine arrest cracked open a far more serious operation tied directly to Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI The operation began with a vague but urgent tip-off. Indian agencies had received intelligence that a foreign agent had entered Delhi via Nepal to gather sensitive military information. The stakes were high — sources revealed plans for a strike targeting strategic sites, including Palam Air Force Base, the CGO Complex, and Delhi acted with precision. A source close to the operation said, 'Our men were making efforts to collect information about Pak-backed terror outfits active in different parts of India and sleeper cells providing logistic support to them.'The mission was activated in response to increasing threats in the region, especially after ISI-supported groups like Babbar Khalsa International launched grenade attacks in Punjab. With Delhi in the crosshairs, agencies chose to move path to espionage started far from India. During interrogation, he confessed that he had been working as a taxi driver in Qatar since 2008, where he was recruited by an ISI handler. 'In June 2024, he visited Pakistan for a month, where he was introduced to high-ranking officials of the Pakistani Army and radicalised by discussing issues like the Babri Masjid demolition and the implementation of CAA/NRC in India,' the court report was trained in spycraft and handed the mission to enter Delhi via Nepal, collect military secrets, and pass them back to ISI. His assignment included creating a CD of the stolen documents for safe Ansari's arrest, interrogation led to another key suspect: Akhlaque Azam. Arrested in March during a coordinated raid in Ranchi, Azam was allegedly providing logistical support to Ansari while maintaining regular contact with Pakistani handlers. According to sources, 'The two were in constant communication with their Pakistani handlers, and their conversations were laced with suspicion and intrigue.'Mobile phone analysis revealed incriminating exchanges suggesting a much wider conspiracy, with digital traces leading back to known ISI operatives Muzammil and Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish. These names also came up in separate probes into the activities of Pakistani diplomatic staff in investigation uncovered evidence of involvement by individuals within the Pakistan High Commission. Indian authorities suspect that diplomatic cover may have been misused by ISI officers who were attempting to influence local YouTubers and social media influencers to act as unwitting information a related crackdown, a YouTuber from Hisar, Haryana — Jyoti Malhotra — was arrested recently for allegedly sharing sensitive information and being in regular contact with a Pakistani seriousness of the case led to the filing of a chargesheet in May under the Official Secrets Act. Both accused — Ansari and Azam — remain in high-security custody at Tihar Jail. Authorities are keeping a close watch to ensure they do not radicalise or influence other trial is expected to begin shortly. A senior officer involved in the probe remarked, 'We are on high alert to prevent any threats to national security. It may be a cat-and-mouse game, but India's agencies want to be the ones holding the reins.'The operation is being seen as a pre-emptive success — not just in thwarting an espionage plot, but in exposing the deeper tentacles of foreign influence attempting to undermine India's internal security from within.(With inputs from TOI)
India Today
22-05-2025
- India Today
Watch: Roof blows away along with children during thunderstorm in MP's Sagar
70:19 Central agencies have thwarted a major ISI-backed terror plan with the arrest of two individuals—one in Delhi and another in Ranchi. After a three-month-long operation, a Pakistan-trained ISI agent was caught in Delhi with sensitive Indian Army documents, which he intended to pass to Pakistan via Nepal. His associate, who aided the operation, was apprehended in Ranchi. Officials believe the arrests may have averted a major terror attack.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Inside India's covert operation that crushed ISI's spy ring and foiled Delhi terror plot
Indian intelligence agencies have reportedly foiled a major espionage operation orchestrated by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), following a three-month-long covert operation that culminated in the arrest of two individuals, including a Pakistani agent operating in the national capital. The dismantling of the spy ring marks a significant blow to ISI 's alleged plans to orchestrate a terror strike in Delhi , according to a report in The Times of India (ToI). The operation, launched in January based on an initial tip-off, revealed that an ISI-backed agent was en route to Delhi via Nepal to collect classified military data, including documents, photos, and GPS coordinates. Officials told ToI that the intelligence inputs indicated a possible terror plot using this information. The arrested man, identified as Ansarul Miya Ansari , was apprehended on February 15 in central Delhi while reportedly attempting to return to Pakistan via Nepal with sensitive materials. Ansari, originally from Nepal and working as a taxi driver in Qatar since 2008, is believed to have been recruited and radicalised during a visit to Rawalpindi in June 2024, where he was allegedly introduced to top Pakistani Army officials and trained in espionage. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Vietnam (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now Undo The probe has also raised concerns about the involvement of certain staffers at the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi. ToI reports that ISI officers Muzammil and Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, who had been cultivating Indian YouTubers and influencers, may have played a role in the broader plot. During the covert operation, intelligence operatives reportedly stayed a step ahead of the suspect throughout. A source told ToI, 'Our men were actively collecting intel on Pak-backed terror outfits and sleeper cells across India. After grenade attacks on police stations in Punjab by Babbar Khalsa International , we sensed a bigger plan targeting public safety in northwest India.' Live Events Following his arrest, Ansari was handed over to the Delhi Police and booked under the Official Secrets Act for possessing and attempting to transmit sensitive military documents to Pakistani handlers. Investigators also arrested Akhlaque Azam, a Ranchi-based man who allegedly provided logistic support to Ansari. Analysis of their mobile phones revealed suspicious conversations suggesting a broader conspiracy, ToI reported. Last week, a chargesheet was filed against both suspects. They are currently lodged in Tihar Jail's high-security wing, with officials reportedly keeping a close watch to prevent them from influencing other inmates. According to ToI, the chargesheet includes Ansari's confession, in which he admitted being recruited in Qatar with initial financial incentives before being radicalised over issues like the Babri Masjid demolition and India's CAA/NRC policies. He was later tasked with procuring classified documents from Delhi. With the trial expected to begin soon, a top intelligence officer told ToI on condition of anonymity: 'It may be a cat-and-mouse game, but India's agencies want to be the ones holding the reins.' With inputs from ToI.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Good Morning: May 22, 2025
Significant developments today include the CPI (Maoist) leadership crisis post-Basavaraju's death, a thwarted ISI-backed espionage plot in India, and Tottenham 's historic Europa League victory, ending a 17-year trophy drought.
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Hans India
Punjab Police arrest two associates of foreign-based gangster Arsh Dala
Chandigarh: In a major breakthrough, Punjab Police's Anti Gangster Task Force (AGTF) in a joint operation with Faridkot Police have arrested two associates of foreign-based gangster Arsh Dala, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Wednesday. Those arrested have been identified as Vishal Singh, a resident of Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Onkar Singh, a resident of village Gamewala in Ferozepur. Police teams have also recovered two .30 bore pistols along with six cartridges from their possession. DGP Yadav said that preliminary investigation revealed that the accused Vishal Singh, who came out on bail recently, was actively planning to eliminate his rival gang member. The accused was continuously in touch with his foreign-based handlers and waiting for the directions to execute sensational crime in Punjab, he said. The DGP said that further investigation is underway to identify other associates and establish backward and forward linkages in this case. Sharing operation details, Additional Director General of Police (AGTF) Promod Ban said that the teams of the AGTF led by DSP Rajan Parminder, acting on human and intelligence inputs, located the accused persons in the jurisdiction of Faridkot. In a joint operation, Faridkot Police have arrested both the accused from near Dana Mandi chownk in Sadiq and recovered weapons from their possession. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pragya Jain said that both the arrested persons have a criminal background with cases pertaining to attempt to murder, cheating, under Arms Act, etc., have been registered against them. Earlier, the police have busted a Pakistan's ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module, being operated by foreign-based handlers Maninder Billa and Mannu Agwan, on directions of terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda with the arrest of its six members involved in attempted grenade attack outside a liquor vend in Batala town. As per information, some bike-borne youth had lobbed a hand grenade outside a liquor vend in the Focal Point area of Batala on May 17, which failed to explode due to faulty assembly, preventing any untoward incident.
