In a significant operation targeting espionage activities, Punjab Police have apprehended an Indian Army soldier and his civilian associate in Jammu for their alleged connections to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The arrested soldier has been identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Dhariwal, Amritsar, who was actively serving in the Indian Army in Jammu. His associate is Sahil Masih, also from Dhariwal. Both were taken into custody during an intelligence-led operation as they reportedly attempted to transfer sensitive information.
According to Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, initial investigations suggest Gurpreet Singh was in direct communication with ISI operatives. He is suspected of having shared classified military intelligence using pen drives and discs. Authorities recovered two mobile phones from the duo, which contained virtual numbers used to communicate with their ISI handlers.
Maninder Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (Amritsar Rural), stated that Gurpreet Singh, who joined the Army in 2016, allegedly used his position to collect and transmit military secrets. The operation was reportedly facilitated by a Dubai-based drug trafficker named Arjan, also originally from Dhariwal, who is believed to have introduced Gurpreet to ISI operatives approximately five months ago.
Since then, Gurpreet reportedly engaged in systematic surveillance, data theft, and physical data drops at pre-determined locations. He is said to have received monetary payments through a complex network of financial transactions involving friends, relatives, and foreign associates to evade detection.
Police have identified Rana Javed as a key handler on the Pakistani side. Further investigations are ongoing to dismantle the wider espionage-terror network and identify any other collaborators. A case has been filed at Lopoke Police Station in Amritsar under relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
