The Rajasthan Intelligence Unit has arrested Mangat Singh from Alwar district on charges of espionage for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Singh was honey-trapped by a female operative who forced him to share confidential military details.
Authorities allege that Singh received over ₹10,000 through multiple bank transactions from Pakistan in exchange for the information.
The Rajasthan Intelligence Unit has arrested a man from Alwar district on charges of espionage for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The accused, identified as 42-year-old Mangat Singh, was taken into custody on Friday, 10 October 2025, under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. He was produced before a special court in Jaipur on Saturday, 11 October 2025 and remanded in police custody for three days.
According to officials, Singh, a resident of Govindgarh in Alwar, had been in contact with Pakistani handlers for nearly two years. During this period, he allegedly shared sensitive information related to Indian military movements and cantonment areas, including Alwar and Ambala, through social media and encrypted channels. Investigators said he was in touch with a female Pakistani operative who used the alias “Isha Sharma” and posed as a civilian from India.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Singh was honey-trapped by the operative, who first approached him on social media and later persuaded him to share confidential military details. The handler reportedly used emotional manipulation and financial inducement to gain his trust. Officials said Singh had saved her contact details under names such as “Isha Sharma” and “Isha Boss.”
“He was in contact with the handler and shared several photos and videos linked to Army and BSF movements, particularly from Alwar and Ambala Cantonment areas,” a public prosecutor said. Evidence recovered from Singh’s phone indicates that he exchanged coded messages about troop movements and other operational details.
Authorities allege that Singh received over ₹10,000 through multiple bank transactions from Pakistan in exchange for the information. A technical analysis of his phone revealed records of cross-border communications with two Pakistani numbers — one linked to the handler and the other to a senior operative. Investigators are now examining the financial channels used for these transactions and have sought data from payment intermediaries.
Officials said Singh’s movements near sensitive installations in Alwar were first flagged during routine surveillance earlier this month. He was detained by the Rajasthan Police’s intelligence unit and interrogated by multiple agencies before being placed under arrest.
Man from Alwar detained on suspicion of espionage for Pakistan’s ISIAccording to officials, Singh worked at a factory in Alwar and was locally known as a “Siddh Purush.” His participation in religious gatherings and community events allegedly allowed him to develop informal contacts with defence personnel and civilians stationed near cantonment areas.
“He used religious platforms to gain people’s trust,” the public prosecutor said. “During this time, he came into contact with several Army and BSF personnel.” Intelligence officers believe Singh may have exploited these interactions to gather routine information and photographs, which were later transmitted to his handlers.
Investigators are now questioning individuals who may have interacted with Singh in the past two years. His digital communications and financial records are being analysed for evidence of a wider espionage network.
The arrest comes at a time when intelligence and security agencies have increased monitoring of border districts following Operation Sindoor, a major counter-terror campaign earlier this year. The operation, which exposed cross-border infiltration attempts and drone incursions near the western frontier, has prompted authorities to intensify surveillance around strategic sites in Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu.
Officials said Rajasthan Intelligence has been particularly vigilant around Alwar, which lies within the National Capital Region and hosts critical defence logistics. “Singh continued to share military information with his handlers up to the point of his arrest,” said DIG Intelligence Rajesh Meel. “We are assessing the full extent of the data breach and identifying others who may have been compromised.”
Sources said agencies are examining whether the information Singh provided was used to map troop locations or transport routes in the northern sector. Investigators have not ruled out the possibility of additional local contacts linked to the same network.
Mangat Singh was booked under multiple provisions of the Official Secrets Act, which criminalises unauthorised possession or sharing of information prejudicial to India’s security. He is currently being interrogated at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur, where officials said “critical leads” have emerged regarding financial transfers and intermediary accounts.
The case is being jointly handled by the Rajasthan Intelligence Unit and the state’s CID (Intelligence) branch, with support from central agencies. Officials said further arrests are likely once the money trail and communication records are fully verified.
The investigation underscores growing concerns about the use of digital honey-traps by foreign intelligence operatives to extract sensitive information from Indian nationals. Over the past two years, several cases across northern India have revealed the use of social media, encrypted messaging apps, and fake identities to lure individuals with access to defence or government data.
As the inquiry progresses, intelligence agencies are focusing on mapping Singh’s network and verifying whether the data he shared reached ISI-linked accounts. Authorities have also intensified cyber monitoring around sensitive defence zones, describing the arrest as a “preventive success” in averting potential security breaches.
Officials said the probe is ongoing and Singh will remain in custody for further interrogation over the next few days. [Rh/Eth/DS]
