Is a Rajasthan Government Employee Spying for Pakistan?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Government employee arrested for espionage.
- Allegations include sharing sensitive military information.
- Multiple visits to Pakistan without authorization.
- Connections with foreign intelligence operatives under investigation.
- Case filed under the Official Secrets Act 1923.
Jaipur, June 3 (NationPress) Rajasthan Police have apprehended a government worker, Shakoor Khan, on allegations of espionage for Pakistan after a five-day interrogation. He was officially taken into custody late Monday night following his detention on May 28 by intelligence and investigative agencies.
Shakoor Khan is set to appear in court, where authorities will request his remand to delve deeper into his purported connections with foreign intelligence and espionage activities.
Currently serving as an assistant administrative officer at the District Employment Office in Jaisalmer, Khan has a history in politics—he previously worked as the personal assistant (PA) to former Congress Minister Saleh Mohammad in 2008 when Mohammad held the MLA position for Pokhran.
DIG CID CB (Security) Vishnukant Gupta verified that Khan was under scrutiny due to his suspicious activities.
The investigation unveiled that he had been in touch with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, an officer at the Pakistan High Commission in India. This connection was allegedly brokered by Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra.
Khan is also reported to have met with Sohail Qamar, another individual associated with the Pakistan High Commission.
According to DIG Gupta, Shakoor Khan had multiple meetings with these contacts inside the premises of the Pakistan High Commission.
He is alleged to have traveled to Pakistan numerous times, securing visas with Danish's help.
Intelligence sources suggest that Khan had contact with at least 13 ISI operatives via WhatsApp, through which he allegedly transmitted sensitive details regarding the movements of the Indian Armed Forces.
Shakoor is also accused of aiding others in traveling to Pakistan, raising alarms about a potential network. He resides in Mangalio Ki Dhani, located in Baroda village near the India-Pakistan border, and has relatives in Pakistan's Sindh province, including in Rahimyar Khan, Sukkur, and Ghotki.
During questioning, several Pakistani phone numbers were discovered on his mobile device. Shakoor could not provide a satisfactory explanation for these contacts. Investigators also found that he had visited Pakistan at least seven times recently, often without prior departmental approval—a significant breach for a government official.
This arrest takes place amid heightened security alerts following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, prompting intelligence agencies to intensify monitoring of suspicious individuals along border areas.
IG Gupta stated that Shakoor Khan's actions fall under the Official Secrets Act 1923. A case has been filed against him under this Act, leading to his arrest.