New Delhi, May 2025 — In a significant breakthrough for national security, Delhi Police have dismantled a covert ISI sleeper cell network during a classified operation conducted between January and March 2025. The operation led to the arrest of two suspected ISI agents, with central intelligence agencies playing a key role in the investigation.
One of the accused has been identified as Ansarul Mian Ansari, a man of Nepali origin. He was apprehended at a hotel in Delhi, reportedly while attempting to travel to Pakistan. During the arrest, authorities recovered several highly classified documents related to India’s armed forces from his possession, raising serious concerns about potential intelligence leaks.
According to sources cited by ANI, Ansari disclosed during interrogation that he had previously worked as a cab driver in Qatar, where he came into contact with an ISI handler. He was later taken to Pakistan and trained extensively by senior ISI officials. Upon completion of his training, Ansari was routed through Nepal and instructed to operate from India’s capital. His primary mission was to compile sensitive military data into a CD and transmit it to Pakistan.
Further investigations led to the arrest of another individual in Ranchi, who was believed to be connected to the same espionage network.
A chargesheet was filed in May, and both suspects are currently in judicial custody at Tihar Jail, Delhi.
This development follows closely on the heels of another major security operation. Just days earlier, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) apprehended two fugitives at Mumbai International Airport. These individuals, allegedly affiliated with an ISIS sleeper cell, were returning from Jakarta and were intercepted by the Bureau of Immigration. They are suspected to have been involved in a 2023 case related to the fabrication and testing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Pune.
Authorities are continuing to probe the broader network of sleeper cells operating across India, as security agencies ramp up efforts to thwart cross-border espionage and terrorism activities.
