Central intelligence agencies have unearthed a suspected espionage network operated by Pakistan-based handlers who used Indian SIM cards smuggled through Nepal to reach out to at least 75 Indian Army personnel posted in Jammu & Kashmir and Mathura, a new report has revealed.
The contacts were maintained primarily through WhatsApp, raising alarm within the national security establishment over digital infiltration tactics.
How did the Indian agencies stumble upon the espionage?
Indian Express, citing officials familiar with the investigation, reported that the link was discovered during a technical examination of 16 Indian SIM cards recovered from Prabhat Kumar Chaurasiya (43), a Nepalese national from Birgunj, who was arrested on August 28, 2025, by the Delhi Police Special Cell (Eastern Range).
Chaurasiya allegedly procured the SIMs from Bihar and Maharashtra, many registered in Latur district, using his Aadhaar credentials, before smuggling them into Kathmandu for delivery to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) handlers.
“After identifying the details of the Army personnel, we plan to alert their unit heads and summon them for questioning,” a senior intelligence official said. “As of now, there is no substantial evidence of espionage involvement, but the Pakistani operatives were indeed in touch with them,” the report by the Indian Express quoted the official.
What did the investigators unearth?
Investigators found that 11 of the 16 seized SIM cards were actively being operated through WhatsApp accounts in Lahore, Bahawalpur, and other Pakistani cities.
Intelligence reports suggest that ISI operatives used these accounts to approach Indian Army, paramilitary, and government officials, attempting to extract sensitive information under pretenses.
Delhi Police officials said, Chaurasiya came into contact with his ISI handlers in 2024 through a Nepali intermediary who promised him a US visa and opportunities in journalism abroad.
In return, he was tasked with procuring Indian SIM cards and gathering information related to DRDO and Indian Army establishments, said DCP (Special Cell) Amit Kaushik.
Who is Chaurasiya, and how was his ISI link established?
A graduate in Information Technology with a diploma in computer hardware and networking, Chaurasiya had earlier worked in the pharmaceutical sector in Pune, Latur, Solapur, and Delhi.
He later started a logistics firm in Kathmandu in 2017, which failed financially, pushing him toward illegal activities, according to intelligence sources.
Are there similar espionage cases from earlier?
This case bears resemblance to a May 2025 espionage bust, when CRPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Moti Ram Jat was arrested in Delhi for allegedly sharing classified data with a Pakistani Intelligence Officer (PIO).
Investigators found his ISI handler was in touch with 15 other Indian contacts, including Army and government personnel.
What’s the background to the espionage bust?
The latest revelations highlight a growing pattern of cyber-enabled espionage targeting India’s defence and security forces. With WhatsApp-based outreach replacing traditional spy networks, Pakistani operatives are exploiting digital vulnerabilities and social engineering tactics to extract sensitive data.
Indian intelligence agencies are now tightening vetting mechanisms and digital surveillance protocols to counter such cross-border infiltration attempts, even as investigations continue to determine if any classified information was compromised.