Pakistan-linked spy network widens, 3 more held for filming military, railway sites

Police have arrested three more alleged members of a Pakistan-linked espionage racket , including a woman and a juvenile, for allegedly collecting and transmitting sensitive information on military and railway installations to handlers across the border, officials said on Monday.

With the latest arrests, the number of people detained has risen to around 22 individuals, including several minors , exposing what investigators describe as a sprawling surveillance network operating across multiple states.

The accused arrested on Sunday were identified as Meera Thakur (28) from Mathura district and Naushad Ali (20) from Faridabad in Haryana, originally from Muzaffarpur district in Bihar, along with a juvenile suspect. Police said Ali allegedly carried out reconnaissance of security establishments and railway stations in Delhi and neighbouring states and forwarded photographs and videos to foreign handlers.

Officials said the group was passing the information to Sardar alias Zoravar Singh , believed to be coordinating the operation from Pakistan. Investigators suspect the racket had links with foreign intelligence handlers and was systematically gathering information on strategic infrastructure.

Police said the network was run in India by Suhel Malik alias Romeo , a resident of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh, who recruited members and assigned them surveillance tasks through social media and encrypted messaging applications.

According to investigators, recruits were paid between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000 per assignment to photograph or film strategic sites such as railway stations, military facilities and police installations. Payments were routed through intermediaries including shopkeepers, Jan Seva Kendras and money transfer centres to avoid suspicion.

The gang also sought to expand its surveillance network by installing solar-powered CCTV cameras at strategic locations, including Delhi Cantonment and Sonipat railway stations , enabling remote monitoring of troop movements and other sensitive activity. Investigators believe the network planned to deploy up to 50 covert cameras along the Delhi–Jammu corridor and other sensitive routes to track military movements.

Police said the group targeted economically vulnerable youths and technically skilled workers , including mobile repairers and CCTV technicians, often recruiting them through social media. During interrogation, Meera said she first contacted Suhel on Facebook before joining the network. Officials added that she had earlier been arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in 2025 in an arms smuggling case .

Investigators also found that some members supplied Indian SIM cards and OTP access to enable foreign handlers to operate social media accounts. The racket came to light on March 14 after suspicious filming of railway stations was reported , prompting the formation of a Special Investigation Team.

Police have since seized several mobile phones, CCTV equipment and electronic devices for forensic examination as they attempt to uncover the full scale of the espionage network.