‘Pak spy’ arrests put Nuh on Central agencies’ radar
In the wake of Operation Sindoor, Haryana’s Nuh district has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons.
The Meo-Muslim-dominated district in the Mewat region has come under the scanner of national agencies after the arrests of individuals allegedly spying for Pakistan.
What triggered national agencies’ interest in Nuh?
Post Operation Sindoor, national investigative agencies started probing the alleged network of spies working for Pakistan in India. Twelve persons have been arrested from Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh in this regard. While Haryanvi YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra was most talked about, it was two ‘simple’ men from Nuh which got national agencies intrigued.
Who are the two ‘spies’ arrested from the dist?
Armaan, a 26-year-old man from Nuh, was arrested alongside Malhotra for allegedly sharing sensitive information about the Army, and military activities, with Pakistan. The police found conversations, photos and videos sent to Pakistani mobile phone numbers from his mobile phone. Days later, one Mohammad Tarif, a quack from the Tauru block of Nuh, was arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan. Tarif has allegedly been accused of providing confidential information related to Indian military activities to two employees posted in the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi through WhatsApp. A video of his confession has since made the rounds across social media.
How were Pakistan High Commission employees involved?
The arrest of the two “spies” brought to fore the role of Pakistan High Commission employees in “luring and turning the local Mewatis into spies”. Many Nuh residents have relatives in Pakistan, especially in villages along the Attari border. Many of them travel more than once a year to Pakistan. According to the ongoing interrogation of the two arrested persons, visa interview officials trapped them during the visa process. Tarif revealed that an official promised to sanction him a visa, and also help him make money, if he got him Indian SIM cards and shared information.
The two arrested were asked to recruit more people who, like them, wished to go to Pakistan, according to the investigation. The Nuh police have booked two Pakistan High Commission officials in this regard, and an investigation is underway. The interrogation hints at a bigger spy network, and Central agencies have placed the entire district under scanner.
Why are YouTubers under scanner?
After the arrest of Jyoti Malhotra, her content was labelled as “pro-Pakistan” by many across social media. In light of the arrests, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has ordered a review of all such channels. Saini ordered that channels posting such content be identified and permanently shut.
Nuh houses the most YouTubers in the state. Following the CM’s orders, Central agencies and the local police have started scanning popular YouTube channels with “pro-Pakistan” content. Many content creators have deactivated their channels, with some even fleeing to Rajasthan.
Haryana Tribune