3-Month Spy Chase Foils ISI’s Delhi Terror Plot; Pakistani Operative, Indian Aide Nabbed: Report

New Delhi: Indian agencies have successfully foiled a Pakistan-backed terror plan targeting the national capital. A covert operation, spanning three months led to the arrest of Pakistani spy Ansarul Miya Ansari and his Indian accomplice, exposing a wider network allegedly linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

According to The Times of India, Indian intelligence agencies first received alerts in January about a spy dispatched by ISI via Nepal to gather critical data, including Indian military documents and some strategic locations. Despite early leads, the investigation gained traction only in mid-February when Ansari, already present in Delhi, was found in possession of the sensitive material.

Counterintelligence Breakthrough

The breakthrough came on February 15 when Ansari was apprehended in central Delhi while attempting to exit India through the same Nepal route. Recovered from him were confidential documents, believed to be intended for Pakistani handlers. Officials described the mission as a "textbook covert operation" where agents consistently stayed a step ahead of the spy, TOI reported.

ISI's Influence Network Under Scanner

Investigations revealed that Ansari was not acting alone. In March, authorities arrested Ranchi resident Akhlaque Azam for offering logistical support to the spy. Both men were reportedly in regular contact with ISI officers Muzammil and Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, who were suspected of trying to manipulate Indian YouTubers and influencers.

Sources also told TOI that suspicions have emerged about personnel at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi. The duo is currently lodged in the high-security wing of Tihar Jail under the Official Secrets Act. Digital forensics from their mobile phones have unearthed incriminating communications suggesting a broader terror blueprint, possibly linked to recent grenade attacks in Punjab orchestrated by Babbar Khalsa International.

A chargesheet has already been filed and the officials are closely monitoring the suspects.

Published on: Thursday, May 22, 2025, 09:23 AM IST