Vishal Yadav, a clerk posted at the Indian Navy headquarters in Delhi, has been arrested on charges of espionage for allegedly leaking sensitive defence information to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), including during Operation Sindoor. According to officials, Yadav was in online contact with a woman identifying herself as Priya Sharma, believed to be an ISI operative. He reportedly shared classified details about naval operations and other military establishments in exchange for payments. Forensic analysis of his phone revealed years of communication and data transfer, particularly during the four-day Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
The arrest followed months of surveillance by the CID Intelligence unit of the Rajasthan police, which had been monitoring suspected ISI-backed espionage networks. Investigators believe Yadav, who hails from Haryana, may have been lured by financial incentives due to his addiction to online gaming and subsequent monetary losses. He allegedly received payments through cryptocurrency platforms and direct bank transfers. He is currently being interrogated by multiple intelligence agencies at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur to determine the full scope of the security breach and identify any accomplices.
Yadav’s arrest comes amid a nationwide crackdown on espionage activities linked to Pakistani intelligence services. In recent days, several individuals have been apprehended for maintaining contact with ISI operatives via social media and other channels. These include Shakur Khan, a Rajasthan government employee detained in Jaisalmer, and Jyoti Malhotra, a Haryana-based YouTuber, who was reportedly in touch with a Pakistani officer from the High Commission during Operation Sindoor. The crackdown follows the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed over 26 civilian lives and intensified counter-intelligence efforts across India.
