Mastermind among 8 more arrested in Ghaziabad's Pak-linked spy module case
India Today
Ghaziabad Police arrested 8 more accused in a Pakistan-linked spy module, taking the total to 22, including a key mastermind held from Faridabad.
Ghaziabad Police have arrested 8 more accused in a Pakistan-linked espionage module case, leading the total tally to 22, including key operatives and masterminds linked to the module.
The latest arrests include Naushad Ali alias Lalu, Meera, and a minor. Naushad is caught from Faridabad, where he had been operating a puncture repair shop at a petrol pump in Nachauli village for the past three months. Police said he originally hails from Muzaffarpur in Bihar and is one of the masterminds of the espionage racket.
According to investigators, Naushad played a crucial role in recruiting young individuals with technical skills such as mobile repair, computer work, and CCTV operations. He was brought back from Kolkata and set up at the petrol pump through contacts linked to Mumtaz and the petrol pump’s former manager, Ravindra.
The arrests build on earlier action taken on March 14, when Ghaziabad Police had arrested six individuals linked to what is being described as the largest spying module backed by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. Among them was Sohail Malik, a resident of Meerut and a key mastermind, along with a woman identified as Mahek alias Sane Iram. Both were responsible for recruiting operatives and facilitating payments.
Police said the network lured youths—particularly those from economically weaker backgrounds—by offering money. Social media groups were used to identify individuals with technical skills or criminal tendencies but no prior records. Women were deliberately recruited to avoid suspicion.
Investigations have revealed that the accused were sharing photos and videos of sensitive locations, including railway stations and security force establishments, through WhatsApp groups with handlers in Pakistan. They were reportedly paid between Rs 4,000 and Rs 6,000 per photograph, while key operatives like Sohail Malik received up to Rs 10,000 per video clip.
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