Punjab widow lured by Pakistan High Commission Official, arrested in espionage crackdown

India Today

Ghazala, a 32-year-old widow from Malerkotla, Punjab, was arrested after allegedly being manipulated by Danish Ehsan-ur-Rahim, a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to Pakistan.

00:11After Jyoti Malhotra, Gazzila, a 32-year-old widow from Malayr Kodla, Punjab,

00:15found herself drawn into the web of an espionage network operating between India and Pakistan.

00:20On February 27, 2025, Gazzila visited the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to apply for a visa.

00:31There she allegedly met Dhanish, a staffer at the PHC, who quickly gained her trust.

00:41Gazzila fell in love and Dhanish promised to marry her.

00:45Within days, he persuaded her to switch their conversations from WhatsApp to Telegram,

00:49citing security concerns, a common tactic in espionage to avoid detection.

00:54On March 7, Dhanish sent 10,000 rupees to Gazzila.

00:57Later on, March 23, he sent 20,000 rupees more,

01:01asking her to forward parts of it to unknown recipients via QR codes.

01:13Gazzila was allegedly manipulated via emotional and monetary inducements.

01:18Gazzila is a widow from Mohala, Purian, Delegate, Malayr Kodla, Punjab,

01:22who completed her 10th and 12th grades at Islamic Girls' School in 2012.

01:26Authorities allege Gazzila was a key link,

01:29aiding Pakistani spies with funds and logistics.

01:32Gazzila's arrest is a part of a wider crackdown on espionage networks across North India.

Category

Transcript

Recommended