Spies in our midst: Intel agencies must step up vigil
THEY are the enemies within. Shocking details of their involvement in treason are coming to light amid the India-Pakistan conflict. The arrest of at least 12 persons from Haryana, UP and Punjab, suspected of having links with Pakistan’s spy agency ISI, is a grim reminder that our law enforcement and intelligence agencies cannot afford to let their guard down. It’s a lethal cocktail of espionage and anti-India propaganda that can imperil national security as well as communal harmony. For instance, Haryana-based social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra was allegedly in touch with a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi when Operation Sindoor was in progress last week. An ongoing probe has revealed that she visited Kashmir before the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and travelled to Pakistan previously. She is accused of passing on sensitive information to her handlers across the border. Shahzad and Nauman Ilahi, both from UP, are facing similar charges.
It is vital for the investigators to find out whether these persons had direct access to information related to military or defence operations or were procuring it from “highly placed” sources. According to reports, Pakistani intelligence operatives were grooming Jyoti as an “asset”; she was apparently part of a well-organised cross-border network. Her interrogation is expected to throw up evidence that can buttress India’s case against Pakistani machinations.
Perhaps big inducements were offered to make these Indian citizens work against the interests of the country. And this could just be the tip of the iceberg. There might be many more spies who are not only divulging official secrets but also giving inputs that can help terrorists carry out an attack on Indian soil. Key stakeholders such as Central and state governments, the media and the public need to work in unison to ferret out the black sheep. The ISI’s plan of chipping away at India through an insidious information warfare should be scuttled with a firm hand.
