Central Intelligence agencies have found that Pakistan-based operatives using Indian SIM cards, allegedly smuggled out by a Nepal national, had reached out to at least 75 Indian Army personnel posted in J&K and Mathura and were “in touch” with them mainly through WhatsApp, it is learnt. “After identifying the details (of the Army personnel), we are likely to inform their unit heads and summon them for questioning in the coming days. As of now, we do not have any substantial evidence proving their involvement in any espionage activity. But operatives based in different Pakistani cities were in touch with them,” a senior official told The Indian Express. The alleged link came to light following a technical examination of data recovered from at least 16 Indian SIM cards seized from a man identified as Prabhat Kumar Chaurasiya (43), a resident of Birgunj in Nepal, who was arrested on August 28 from Laxmi Nagar in Delhi by a team of the Delhi Police Special Cell (Eastern Range). During investigation, sources said, it came to light that Chaurasiya had procured the SIM cards from Bihar and Maharashtra using his Aadhaar credentials - most of these cards were registered in Maharashtra’s Latur district. “After smuggling these cards from India to Kathmandu, he handed them over to his ISI handlers. They later created WhatsApp accounts with these numbers and began luring personnel in the Indian Army, paramilitary forces and Government departments to further their espionage objectives,” sources said. “Out of the 16 SIM cards, 11 were being operated on WhatsApp from Lahore, Bahawalpur and other parts of Pakistan by ISI operatives. The investigation has revealed that Chaurasiya came into contact with ISI handlers in 2024 through a Nepali intermediary. He was lured with the promise of a US visa and opportunities in journalism abroad. In return, he was tasked with supplying Indian SIM cards and gathering information related to the DRDO and Army establishments,” Amit Kaushik, DCP (Special Cell), had said after Chaurasiya’s arrest. Chaurasiya, who holds a BSc degree in Information Technology along with a diploma in computer hardware and networking, had previously worked in the pharmaceutical sector in Pune, Latur, Solapur and Delhi, the sources said. In 2017, he started a logistics company in Kathmandu, which collapsed due to financial losses, they said. It was after this setback that he allegedly came into contact with ISI handlers, the sources said. A similar pattern was observed earlier this year when Central agencies arrested CRPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Moti Ram Jat in Delhi on May 27 for allegedly sharing classified information with a PIO. His ISI handler was found to be in contact with 15 other phone numbers linked to personnel in the Indian Army, paramilitary forces and Government departments.
