Delhi ‘spy couple’ sent SIM cards to Pakistan. ISI used them to enter Indian WhatsApp groups

The Delhi Police's special cell recently dismantled a Pakistani intelligence-led espionage module operating out of Pakistan and funded by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The operation involved arresting a Delhi couple in their 20s, Mohammad Sahil, 25, and his 21-year-old wife Sameera, who had been working for the ISI for two years.

Sahil and Sameera allegedly procured Indian SIM cards and sent them to Pakistan via Dubai for the module's use. The Pakistani intelligence operatives used the cards to activate and utilize WhatsApp from Pakistan, subsequently becoming members of Indian WhatsApp groups to gather sensitive and classified information related to Indian defense.

Sahil, who holds a degree from the Indira Gandhi National Open University and worked with a lawyer, had been unemployed since leaving a job in June 2022. Sameera, who completed her BA course through correspondence and worked at a call center, was arrested alongside her husband. The police seized two mobile phones used by the couple, which contained incriminating chats with their handlers in the network.

The Delhi Police's special cell was alerted about the ISI-backed network in Delhi and the NCR. The pair had been recruited by the network for logistical support and to procure SIM cards. Investigators identified the module's members and arrested Sahil after examining his mobile phone for incriminating chats with Pakistani agents.

The couple was allegedly paid ₹30,000 for sending eight Indian SIM cards to Pakistan in 2024 and 2025. The operation revealed crucial details about the network's modus operandi and the coordination between Pakistan-based handlers and over-ground workers via encrypted communication platforms. This bust successfully thwarted the espionage activities of the Pakistani intelligence operatives.