Police allege Mohammad Sahil and his wife Sameera were introduced to a Pakistani intelligence operative through an Instagram contact in 2024.
The couple allegedly sent eight Indian SIM cards to Pakistan via Dubai between 2024 and 2025 and received around Rs 30,000 in return.
Police allege the SIM cards were used to create WhatsApp accounts for approaching Indians and gathering information, while Sahil was also allegedly involved in reconnaissance and recruitment.
Delhi Police has arrested a couple with alleged links to a Pakistan-based espionage network, official sources said on Friday. The accused, identified as Mohammad Sahil and his wife Sameera, were allegedly in contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives through social media since 2024, a police source told PTI.
How Did Sahil And Sameera Allegedly Enter The Spy Network?
Police officials said the two first met in 2022, after which they exchanged contact details and remained in regular communication. The relationship developed over the following two years, and by 2024, they had fallen in love and decided to marry. A police officer associated with the investigation said Sameera subsequently told Sahil about a Pakistani man whom she had been communicating with on Instagram, as per Indian Express.
“The Pakistani ‘agent’ introduced Sahil and Sameera to a Pakistani intelligence Operative (PIO). Gradually, the PIO… convinced them to work for the PIO Network,” said DCP (Special Cell) Nara Chaitanya as quoted by Indian Express.
The Northern Range of the Delhi Police Special Cell has busted an alleged ISI-backed, Pakistan-based espionage network and arrested a Delhi-based couple accused of working for Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) through social media since 2024, an official told ANI.
According to police, the couple allegedly provided logistical support to Pakistan-based handlers, including procuring Indian SIM cards and sending them to Pakistan via Dubai. The SIM cards were allegedly used by Pakistani operatives to activate WhatsApp accounts and contact Indians. The network recruited local people in Delhi to help procure Indian SIM cards.
WhatsApp accounts were then activated on these numbers in Pakistan and allegedly used by Pakistani intelligence operatives to enter Indian WhatsApp groups and gather information.
How Were Indian SIM Cards Sent To Pakistan?
According to PTI, the couple allegedly sent eight Indian SIM cards to Pakistan through Dubai between 2024 and 2025 in exchange for around Rs 30,000. The phone numbers were allegedly used to operate messaging accounts and gain access to Indian groups to gather sensitive information.
Police said Sahil came in contact with a Pakistani agent on Instagram in 2024 through his friend Sameera, whom he later married. The agent allegedly introduced the couple to a Pakistani intelligence operative, who allegedly offered them financial benefits for working with the network.
According to police, the couple allegedly provided logistical support to Pakistan-based handlers, including procuring Indian SIM cards and sending them to Pakistan via Dubai.
What Did Police Find During The Investigation?
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Narra Chaitanya told ANI that the SIM cards sent by the couple were activated near the Pakistan border to register WhatsApp accounts, which were then used to approach Indians—specifically Army personnel.
He said, "A couple was arrested from Kale Khan—Sahil and his wife. They had purchased SIM cards in Delhi and sent them to Pakistan via Dubai.”
“We identified and arrested the couple and seized a mobile phone from them that contains evidence of significant value. We will now conduct further investigations and interrogate them regarding their contacts,” he added.
Sahil was also tasked with recruiting individuals for reconnaissance of cantonment areas across India and providing details of Army personnel facing court martial proceedings. Incriminating chats recovered from their mobile phones revealed their coordination with Pakistani handlers. The operation successfully foiled espionage activities, with police recovering two mobile phones containing incriminating conversations, as per IANS.
The crackdown follows sustained intelligence operations. These targeted efforts aim to neutralise suspects accused of leaking crucial defence and strategic data to handlers in Pakistan.
