Clerk at Indian Navy's Delhi HQ arrested for spying for Pakistan's ISI. Here's what we know about Vishal Yadav
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Clerk at Indian Navy's Delhi HQ arrested for spying for Pakistan's ISI. Here's what we know about Vishal Yadav")
Vishal Yadav Photograph: (X/IndiaWarMonitor)
Vishal Yadav stands accused of spying on India and passing on sensitive information about the Indian naval forces and other defence units to a female handler in Pakistan, in exchange for money.
The intelligence wing of the Rajasthan police has arrested a man from the Indian Navy's headquarters in Delhi on the charges of espionage for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), according to reports. Identified as Vishal Yadav, a resident of Haryana, the man, as per reports, was working as a clerk at the naval headquarters. He stands accused of spying for Pakistan over the years, including during Operation Sindoor, a vital, recent military operation through which India carried out anti-terror activities.
Who is Vishal Yadav?
Yadav, as per reports, is a resident of the North Indian state of Haryana and was employed as a clerk at the Delhi-based naval headquarters. He stands accused of spying on India and passing on sensitive information about the Indian naval forces and other defence units to a female handler in Pakistan, in exchange for money. He is believed to have done this for years, including the recent Operation Sindoor, which followed the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam in April.
He was arrested following surveillance. Data recovered from his cellphone reportedly includes classified military documents and communications, which were shared with a foreign agent. Citing senior police officer Vishnukant Gupta, NDTV reported that the CID intelligence united has been closely keeping a track on espionage activities linked to Pakistani agencies.
Modus operandi and motive
Officials during surveillance found that Yadav was in regular contact with a Pakistani handler posing as 'Priya Sharma' on social media. She allegedly transferred payments in exchange for restricted defence-related intelligence. Investigators found that the spy, Yadav, had an online gambling addiction and had been motivated by financial desperation, primarily driven by gambling losses.
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Payments were made through both cryptocurrency trading accounts and traditional bank transfers, NDTV reported, citing sources. Yadav is currently being interrogated at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur by a joint team of intelligence agencies.
His arrest comes as India doubles down on espionage activities in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Among those arrested recently are two women believed to be in touch with a Pakistani officer named Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, reportedly posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. One of them, Jyoti Malhotra, a YouTuber from Haryana, has over 3.7 lakh subscribers and significant social media reach. Another woman, Guzala, 31, from Punjab, is also under investigation for alleged links to Pakistani handlers.
