CRPF Officer Arrested for Espionage, Allegedly Paid by Pakistani Agents Posing as Journalists

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Assistant Sub-Inspector, Moti Ram Jat, in Delhi for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives. According to a report by the Indian Express, Jat, who was stationed with the CRPF’s 116th battalion in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, before his transfer, is accused of sharing classified data with individuals posing as journalists since 2023.

The NIA alleges that Jat provided details on critical matters, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the closure of 50 tourist destinations, and specifics about CRPF troop movements and strength. In return, Jat reportedly received Rs 3,500 monthly and an additional Rs 12,000 for particularly sensitive information, with payments deposited into his and his wife’s bank accounts.

The investigation revealed that Jat was initially contacted by a woman claiming to be a journalist from a prominent Chandigarh-based news channel. After several phone and text conversations, he began sharing confidential information. The CRPF, in coordination with central intelligence agencies, detected Jat’s suspicious activities through social media monitoring, leading to his dismissal from service on May 21, 2025, under relevant constitutional and CRPF regulations. He was subsequently handed over to the NIA for further interrogation and has been remanded to custody until June 6 by a special court at Patiala House.

This arrest follows heightened anti-espionage efforts after the Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives. Over the past two weeks, authorities have detained at least 13 individuals across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, uncovering what appears to be a Pakistan-linked espionage network. Among those arrested are two women, Jyoti Malhotra, a YouTuber with 3.77 lakh subscribers and 1.33 lakh Instagram followers, and Guzala from Punjab, both allegedly connected to Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, a Pakistani High Commission staffer expelled from India on May 13 for espionage activities.