Delhi couple helped ISI-backed network get Indian SIM cards, say police
Delhi Police have arrested a couple for allegedly facilitating an ISI-backed espionage network by providing Indian SIM cards and recruiting individuals for reconnaissance. The suspects were reportedly paid to help Pakistani handlers infiltrate Indian WhatsApp groups and gather sensitive military information.
Why it matters
This case underscores ongoing national security threats related to digital espionage and the recruitment of local assets by foreign intelligence agencies.
The Delhi Police Special Cell arrested a young couple from the city for allegedly working for Pakistan-based intelligence operatives and helping an ISI-backed espionage network procure Indian SIM cards and recruit people for reconnaissance of cantonment areas, officials said on Friday (August 28, 2026).
The accused, identified as 25-year-old Md. Sahil, a resident of Sarai Kale Khan, and his 21-year-old wife, Sameera, were recruited through social media and provided logistical support to Pakistani handlers, the police alleged. Two mobile phones containing incriminating conversations with Pakistani intelligence operatives were recovered from them.
The Special Cell alleged that Sahil came into contact with a Pakistani agent on Instagram in 2024 through Sameera, and that the agent subsequently introduced the couple to a Pakistan-based intelligence operative, who the police said cultivated them and offered financial incentives to work for the network.
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