On January 7 in Rajasthan, the CID in a joint operation detained the husband of a former sarpanch, identified as Satyanarayan Paliwal, based on intelligence input. As per the reports, he was honey-trapped by the women wing of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. During his interrogation, Paliwal confessed that he had shared confidential documents on social media. He was taken to Jaipur for further interrogation.
A report by Bhaskar states since he was the husband of village Sarpanch, the ISI agent contacted him on social media few years back. She introduced herself as an Indian and would chat with him. Soon she started doing video calls with him. Citing sources, Bhaskar report states that she then started getting nude on video chats. After taking him into confidence, she started extracting sensitive information from him.
As per reports, Paliwal has been shared information with ISI’s agents for the last one year. The information included the Indian Army’s confidential positioning and movements etc. The region comes under Lathi police station. The information was shared with the police by Indian intelligence and security agencies. Paliwal has now been arrested.
Paliwal was in contact with two women from Pakistan
As per reports, the ISI hone-trappers sent Paliwal a friend request on social media and honey-trapped him. He had got two friend requests from women living in Pakistan. One of them identified herself as a journalist while others said she was working with a private company.
A report in TOI has stated that the ISI has been trying hard to get details of troop movements and positioning around the Pokhran Field Firing range in Jaisalmer, close to the Pakistan border.
Paliwal has allegedly been communicating with the women on a regular basis. One of the women had also contacted him over WhatsApp from an Indian number. Being the husband of the sarpanch, it was easier for him to get information about the Army’s activities as the sarpanch has to give certificates to regiments for firing and other activities. He took advantage of his wife’s position and started collecting confidential information to pass on to the women.
As per the reports, the intelligence bureau got a tip about the honey-trap after which vigil on Paliwal was increased. After confirming the fact that he was passing on the information, he was detained and inquired. During the probe, Paliwal confessed to sharing information but insisted that he has not taken any money for it.
Umesh Mishra, ADG Rajasthan intelligence confirmed the case and said that Paliwal was detained on suspicion of passing on strategic information from Lathi area. He was taken to Jaipur for intensive investigation.
Meerut honey-trapping case
In another such case, one Saurabh Sharma is also arrested on spying charges. As per the report, he was staying away from his wife after they separated due to incompatibility issues. Last week, UP ATS raided places in Hapur and in Gujarat’s Godhra where one retired jawan of the Indian Army was arrested. He is accused of sending sensitive information to Pakistan spy agency.
As per report, he got in touch with a Pakistani woman in 2014. He shared some sensitive information with her till 2016 through text and audio files and would use WhatsApp to make calls. For this, the handler would pay him money.
How honey-traps work?
Honey-trapping someone to get strategic information is not a new strategy. As per the experts, trained agents, even men pretending to be women, use social media platforms to trap naïve men. Pakistan’s ISI has been allegedly using the strategy against India on a large scale. Women agents of ISI contact people working in different fields on social media and befriend them. Once the men start to have faith in them or fall in love with them, they begin to gather strategic information. In case the men try to get out of their trap, they start blackmailing them that they will reveal their name to the security agencies.
