The Special Cell of Delhi Police confirmed on September 10, that it had arrested a Nepalese national, Prabhat Kumar Chaurasia (43), for his alleged role in supplying Indian SIM cards to Pakistan’s ISI operatives. The arrest took place on August 28 in Delhi’s Laxmi Nagar, following a specific intelligence input.
According to investigators, Chaurasia, a resident of Birgunj, Nepal, had been active in smuggling SIM cards since 2024.
SIM cards used in Pakistan for ISI operations
Officials revealed that Chaurasia had obtained 16 Indian SIM cards using a forged Aadhaar card issued in Maharashtra’s Latur district. Out of these, 11 SIM cards were traced to Pakistan, where they were used to operate WhatsApp accounts run by ISI operatives based in Lahore and Bahawalpur.
Bahawalpur, a stronghold of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), came under international spotlight during Operation Sindoor, when India targeted JeM’s Markaz Subhan Allah headquarters and training camp. Police said the SIM cards were being used in the region to coordinate anti-India activities.
Digital evidence and incriminating material seized
During the raid, police seized several digital devices, empty SIM card packets, and incriminating documents from Chaurasia. Forensic analysis of the material is underway, officials said.
During interrogation, Chaurasia admitted he was first contacted by ISI-linked individuals in 2024 through a Nepalese intermediary. He was lured with the promise of a US visa under the pretext of journalism opportunities. In return, he was tasked with supplying Indian SIM cards and gathering defence-related information.
Born in 1982 in Nepal, Chaurasia studied in Motihari, Bihar, before completing a degree in information technology. He initially worked as a pharmaceutical representative and later launched a logistics company in Kathmandu in 2017, which eventually failed. It was during his attempts to move abroad that he allegedly came under ISI’s influence.
Case registered, probe expands
The Special Cell has booked Chaurasia under charges of criminal conspiracy and acts endangering India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity. Investigators are now working to identify his local network and possible associates who may have facilitated the espionage operation.
Senior officials said the case highlights how Pakistan’s ISI continues to exploit porous borders and vulnerable individuals in Nepal to further its intelligence-gathering operations against India.
