Investigations revealed that after joining several WhatsApp groups linked to Pakistan, Tufail was instructed to contact a woman named Nafisa from Faisalabad.
On Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (UP ATS) arrested Mohammad Tufail from Nawapura in Varanasi on charges of spying for Pakistan. According to sources over 500 mobile numbers from the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, which were linked to Tufail’s WhatsApp groups, are now under surveillance.
Investigations revealed that after joining several WhatsApp groups linked to Pakistan, Tufail was instructed to contact a woman named Nafisa from Faisalabad. Gradually, he fell into a honey trap. Tufail regularly chatted with Nafisa and began sending her photographs of sensitive locations.
Shared sensitive information to Pak woman who honey-trapped him
Tufail not only shared information with Nafisa but also sent her gifts. He used Nepal and Punjab routes to deliver items, which included a saree and a suit, as confirmed by investigating agencies.
The UP ATS is currently trying to determine which cities Tufail visited at Nafisa’s request and what sensitive photos or videos he shared with her. They are also investigating his participation in religious gatherings or conferences attended by Muslim youths.
Large gatherings at Tufail’s residence
Neighbours told India TV that large groups associated with the Jamaat, often numbering between 200 and 250, regularly visited Tufail’s house. After travelling to various cities in UP and Sirhind in Punjab, Tufail reportedly created around 20 WhatsApp groups.
Spreading provocative content through WhatsApp
Tufail used these groups to emotionally influence Muslim youths, including educated individuals, in cities like Varanasi, Mau, Azamgarh and Lucknow. He frequently shared provocative videos, including those of Maulana Saad Rizvi, and condemned the Babri Masjid demolition as a disgrace to Islam.
Tufail also posted messages advocating for the establishment of Sharia law in India through legal and political means, similar to Pakistan. He claimed that India needed Islamic scholars like Saad Rizvi to guide Muslim youth in the right direction.
The ATS is now examining Tufail’s bank accounts and identifying his Pakistani and Indian contacts. Authorities are investigating all financial transactions linked to him and increasing surveillance on suspicious numbers.
Another arrest in Pakistan espionage network
In a related development, the ATS arrested Haroon from Delhi, who was acting as an agent for Mujammil, an officer at the Pakistani High Commission. Haroon helped Mujammil set up bank accounts using fake identities. Money received for Pakistani visas was transferred to these accounts and then distributed by Haroon on Mujammil’s instructions.
The UP ATS suspects that Mujammil, believed to be an ISI agent, used Haroon to fund operatives in India. Authorities are scrutinising Haroon’s mobile data and bank accounts to trace all recipients and transactions over the past three years.
