In a tightly guarded operation spanning three months, Delhi Police have arrested two agents linked to Pakistan’s ISI, dismantling a sleeper cell network. The crackdown revealed classified military documents in the possession of one agent, highlighting the seriousness of the threat within India’s capital.
Sleeper Cell Network Exposed After Months of Undercover Surveillance
The arrests, which unfolded between January and March 2025, came after a secretive probe involving Delhi Police and multiple central agencies. According to officials, this was no ordinary bust—it exposed a well-embedded ISI network operating quietly under the radar.
One of the agents, identified as Ansarul Mian Ansari, a Nepali-origin operative, was caught trying to slip out of India via a Delhi hotel. He was carrying sensitive documents related to India’s armed forces. The gravity of the situation quickly became clear.
Police sources disclosed that Ansari posed as a cab driver in Qatar, where he met his ISI handler. After initial contact, he was taken to Pakistan for intensive training by top ISI officers, preparing him for espionage activities back in India. His mission: to compile a CD containing confidential military data and transmit it to handlers across the border.
The agent’s movements were closely monitored after his return through Nepal, eventually leading to his capture in Delhi. Interrogation revealed details that helped identify and arrest a second agent, this time from Ranchi, a city in eastern India.
What We Know About the Arrests and Seized Materials
The operation’s success hinged on meticulous coordination among various intelligence outfits and police units. Delhi Police revealed that the classified documents seized were not just any papers—they pertained to strategic information about the Indian armed forces.
This raises unsettling questions. How long had this network been functioning? How much information was compromised? Officials have been tight-lipped about these details but stressed the critical nature of the intel recovered.
The two agents arrested are now lodged in Tihar Jail, one of India’s largest and most secure prisons. A chargesheet was filed in May, setting the wheels of justice in motion.
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Ansarul Mian Ansari was detained at a hotel in Delhi while attempting to flee to Pakistan.
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The second agent was caught in Ranchi following interrogation insights.
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Classified military documents were recovered, marking this as a significant security breach.
Authorities are reportedly intensifying their efforts to trace the wider network, suspecting there could be more sleeper cells embedded in other parts of the country.
Ansarul Mian Ansari: From Cab Driver to ISI Spy
The story behind Ansari’s recruitment reads like a spy thriller. Working as a cab driver in Qatar, he was recruited by an ISI handler, a common tactic where intelligence agencies exploit ordinary jobs as cover for espionage.
Once in Pakistan, Ansari underwent several days of rigorous training designed to equip him for clandestine activities. The skillset likely included communication encryption, document handling, and evasion techniques.
What’s chilling is the precision with which he was inserted back into India—through Nepal, a common smuggling and transit point. The plan was straightforward but dangerous: gather classified military documents, create a digital copy, and smuggle it out.
His arrest at the cusp of escape prevented potential leaks that could have endangered national security. It also exposed ISI’s continued use of sleeper cells in urban centers, underscoring vulnerabilities in intelligence networks.
The Broader Picture: ISI Sleeper Cells and India’s Security Challenges
India has long faced covert threats from intelligence outfits, particularly the ISI. Sleeper cells—agents planted within communities or cities who lie dormant until activated—pose a unique challenge. They blend seamlessly into civilian life, making detection incredibly difficult.
Security analysts say that these arrests are a warning sign rather than an isolated incident. Sleeper cells, by design, operate silently for years. Their disruption requires patience and often luck.
| Key Details of the Operation | Information |
|---|---|
| Duration of Operation | January to March 2025 |
| Arrest Locations | Delhi (hotel), Ranchi |
| Number of Agents Arrested | 2 |
| Jail Location | Tihar Jail, Delhi |
| Nature of Seized Materials | Classified military documents |
India’s intelligence agencies have reportedly stepped up surveillance and counterintelligence operations since the arrests. While much remains classified, officials have emphasized that national security remains a top priority.
What Lies Ahead for India’s Counterintelligence Efforts?
The case throws a spotlight on the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between Indian agencies and hostile foreign intelligence operatives. It’s a game that requires constant vigilance.
How many more sleeper cells exist? That’s the million-dollar question no one wants to guess wrong on. What makes sleeper cells so dangerous is their ability to lie low, unnoticed, until triggered by foreign handlers.
Some experts suggest this bust will trigger tighter security checks, especially around border regions and cities with high migrant populations. Intelligence sharing between state and central agencies is being hailed as a factor in cracking this case.
As the investigation continues, the government faces pressure to fortify its espionage detection frameworks. Public awareness about the threat is low, but incidents like this remind citizens that national security can sometimes come knocking on their doorstep—quietly, almost invisibly.
