LUCKNOW: Two persons were arrested from Hapur district in western Uttar Pradesh over alleged involvement in an espionage network working for Pakistan.
As per the police sources, the arrests were made by a team of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) from Delhi. Both the suspects had allegedly been spying for Pakistan since 2025, added the sources.
Police authorities claimed that the accused were in contact with a Pakistan-based gangster named Shahzad Bhatti through social media. The accused were allegedly sharing the sensitive information to Pakistani handlers in exchange for money.
According to Hapur SP KG Singh, the accused—Azeem Rana and Azad Rajput—had sent videos of Sanatan Dharma Temple in Delhi, Ravana Temple in Greater Noida, and other nearby locations to their handler in Pakistan.
The police probe also revealed that the suspects conducted reconnaissance of places like Ramesh Nagar Metro Station, temples, and other public locations.
On February 19, 2026, they shared multiple videos and photos with their contact in Pakistan. While Azeem Rana is from Dhaulana in Hapur, Azad Rajput is from a village in Meerut.
Police authorities said that a case was registered against both accused and that they were being grilled further to uncover more details about the network.
Shahzad Bhatti is believed to be a gangster with links to international crime networks in Pakistan. He is reportedly involved in illegal arms trade and has connections across several countries, including Europe, US, Canada, and Dubai.
Reports said that Bhati was once banned by the Pakistani government but returned to Pakistan in May, 2025.