Hey there,
It’s Thursday, also known as “almost there day.” If your week’s been a bit of a maze (like India’s counterintelligence ops), here’s your quick detour into stories that matter.
We’re serving sharp insight with your caffeine today, so let’s dive right into the big story.
📌 India outsmarts a major ISI plot
January, 2025: A tip reached Indian intelligence officials.
A spy from Pakistan’s ISI had entered India through Nepal.
His mission? Steal sensitive data about the Indian armed forces, use it to plan an attack in Delhi, and vanish back the way he came.
They didn’t even have a name. Just a direction. But sometimes, that’s all it takes (remember the Mumbai attack?).
The agencies worked silently for weeks. Watching. Waiting. Digging.
Until they finally spotted him - Ansarul Miya Ansari. A Nepali-origin taxi driver from Qatar, recruited by ISI in 2008.
He went to Rawalpindi last June. He met people. Big people. Was fed stories of injustice, shown videos, riled up with tales of Babri Masjid and the CAA/NRC. Then came the training, which included Spycraft 101, how to collect documents, where to hide them, what to click, and what to never say.
February 15: The day his plan was foiled
He made it to Delhi. Got hold of military documents, took pictures, and plotted his return via Nepal.
But the trap was already in place.
On February 15, he was caught red-handed in Central Delhi with confidential data on him. He didn’t know it yet, but the game had ended days before.
Behind him was another man, Akhlaque Azam, from Ranchi. His local support. Arrested in March.
Their phones? Full of chats with Pakistani handlers. Cryptic. Calculated. Enough to prove this wasn’t just a one-off mission, but a bigger conspiracy.
And then came the twist:
Some officials in the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi are now under the scanner. Especially ISI officers Muzammil and Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, both of whom were apparently trying to cozy up to Indian YouTubers and influencers. The kind of people who unknowingly become pawns in bigger games.
The upcoming trial
Ansari and Azam are now in Tihar, under tight watch. Booked under the Official Secrets Act. A chargesheet has been filed. The court’s taken cognisance, and the trial’s about to begin.
Security officers say the biggest concern now is keeping them from brainwashing others inside jail. That’s how these ideas spread in silence.
We've been here before
If this feels familiar, that’s because it is.
In May 2022, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack targeted the Punjab Police's Intelligence Wing headquarters in Mohali.
Investigations revealed that the assault was orchestrated by operatives of the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), with backing from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The key conspirator, Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, a gangster who had relocated to Canada in 2017, was identified as a close associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Singh alias Rinda.
Landa was responsible for providing the RPG, an AK-47 rifle, and coordinating with local criminal networks to facilitate the attack.
The Punjab Police arrested six individuals involved in planning and providing logistical support for the attackers.
This incident highlighted the nexus between foreign-based terrorist organizations, local gangsters, and state-sponsored entities aiming to destabilize the region.
Last thing before you go…
Every time you walk past India Gate or get stuck in traffic near CP, remember, someone, somewhere, is making sure that’s all you have to worry about.
This story won’t make it to the top of the news cycle. It won’t trend on X. But that’s the point.
India’s intelligence agencies don’t need applause. They just need to stay a step ahead.
And they did.
So, that’s it for today. If you enjoyed this edition, subscribe to hear from us every day!
See ya 👋