After YouTuber, UP businessman arrested for spying for Pakistan
What's the story
An Uttar Pradesh-based businessman has been arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan.
The accused, identified as Shahzad, was detained by the Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police in Moradabad.
The arrest follows intelligence inputs about his alleged involvement in cross-border smuggling and espionage activities with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Smuggling cover
Shahzad's alleged smuggling operations and espionage activities
The STF said Shahzad had traveled to Pakistan several times over the years. He was allegedly involved in smuggling cosmetics, clothes, spices, and other items across the border.
This illegal trade was a cover for his covert operations for ISI, the STF said.
The investigation also revealed that Shahzad provided money and Indian SIM cards to ISI agents in India.
Espionage facilitation
Shahzad's role in facilitating ISI operations
The STF claimed that Shahzad also sent people from Rampur district and other parts of Uttar Pradesh to work for ISI.
The visas of these individuals were arranged by the ISI agents, the agency said.
Shahzad's arrest comes on the heels of another high-profile case involving a Haryana-based YouTuber.
Jyoti Malhotra, who runs the channel 'Travel with JO,' was allegedly involved in passing sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives.
Espionage crackdown
Recent arrests highlight espionage concerns
The YouTuber had over three lakh subscribers and was in contact with a Pakistani staffer at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi.
Last year, she accepted what she described as a "special invitation" from the Pakistan High Commission to an Iftar dinner.
She later shared a video of the event, which shows her conversing with a High Commission officer who she identifies as Danish, implying a prior acquaintance between them.
Rising tensions
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalate
On May 13, India expelled that Pakistani official for allegedly indulging in espionage.
Malhotra had also uploaded some videos from her visit to Pakistan—'Indian Girl in Pakistan', 'Indian Girl Exploring Lahore', 'Indian Girl at Katas Raj Temple', and 'Indian Girl Rides Luxury Bus in Pakistan' on her YouTube channel.
These arrests come amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 people.