The Eastern Range of Delhi Police’s Special Cell has successfully busted an espionage module with the arrest of a Nepali national who was allegedly engaged in supplying Indian SIM cards to operatives of a Pakistan agency, an official said on Tuesday.
According to the special unit’s findings, these SIMs were being used from across the border for espionage and other anti-India activities through social media platforms.
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It was based on the inputs from undisclosed sources regarding misuse of Indian mobile numbers by ISI operatives in Pakistan; a dedicated team of the Special Cell (Eastern Range) mounted human intelligence.
And on August 28, it received specific information regarding an individual said to be associated with the Pakistan intelligence agency handlers who was present in Vijay Block, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi.
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Immediately responding to the situation, the cell’s team apprehended the suspect, who was later identified as Prabhat Kumar Chaurasiya (43), a resident of Birgunj, Nepal.
During sustained questioning by the special cell team, the accused revealed that he had procured 16 SIM cards under his Aadhaar credentials and sent them to Nepal, of which 11 SIMs were being operated on
social media communication platforms from Lahore, Bahawalpur, and other parts of Pakistan.
At the instance of the accused, digital devices containing incriminating material and multiple SIM card envelopes were recovered by the cops.
The investigation has revealed that the accused came into contact with the foreign intelligence agency handlers in 2024 through a Nepali intermediary.
He was lured with promises of a US visa and job opportunities in the media field abroad.
In return, he was tasked with supplying Indian SIM cards and collecting information related to DRDO and Army establishments.
Using his Aadhaar card registered at Latur, Maharashtra, he procured SIM cards from telecom stores in Bihar and Maharashtra, and the same, after activation, were smuggled to Kathmandu, Nepal, through conduits and were subsequently handed over to Pakistan intelligence agency handlers.
It has been revealed in the probe that social media accounts registered on these SIMs were operated from Pakistan to establish contact with army personnel here and to pursue other sensitive espionage objectives.
According to findings by the special cell, Chaurasiya was born in Nepal in 1982 and completed his matriculation in the country.
He pursued intermediate studies in Motihari, Bihar, and later obtained a B.Sc. degree in information technology along with a diploma in computer hardware and networking.
Professionally, he worked in the pharmaceutical sector across Pune, Latur, Solapur, and Delhi as a medical representative and area sales manager.
It was back in 2017; he set up a logistics company in Kathmandu, Nepal, which had to be shut down due to heavy financial losses.
It is said that while being in Kathmandu, he came into contact with ISI operatives, and out of desperation to go abroad, he not only agreed to supply Indian SIM cards but also agreed to gather sensitive Indian defence-related information.
Accordingly, a case has been registered at Police Station Special Cell, Delhi, under Sections 61(2)/152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Further investigation is in progress to trace his associates, identify the courier network, and apprehend the foreign handlers who orchestrated this espionage module, a senior official said.
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