Rajasthan Police's CID Intelligence wing has struck a major blow against a Pakistan-linked spy ring, arresting a funding agent working for Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI from Aurangabad in Maharashtra on Wednesday. The arrest has exposed a financial network that was being used to route money to people involved in anti-national espionage activities.
What the case is about
According to Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Praful Kumar, the arrest is linked to a case registered in January 2026 under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. In the same case, Jhabra Ram, a resident of Jaisalmer, and Sumit Kumar, an MTS employee posted at the Indian Air Force Station in Dibrugarh, Assam, had already been arrested. Both are accused of passing confidential information related to India's armed forces to ISI handlers. The case centres on sensitive information linked to the Indian Army being leaked, which is why investigating agencies have treated it with high seriousness from the start.
How the money trail was traced
As the investigation went deeper, it emerged that the money paid to Jhabra Ram and Sumit Kumar for espionage had been routed through Rafiq Chand Sheikh, a resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. CID Intelligence then questioned Rafiq Chand Sheikh, during which it came out that he had been in direct contact with an ISI handler for close to four years. This extended contact indicated to investigators that this was not an isolated incident but a planned, ongoing financial network.
Instructions over social media, money moved through multiple accounts
The probe further revealed that Rafiq Chand Sheikh was connected to this network through social media, and that is where he received his instructions. Acting on these instructions, he got several bank accounts opened, some in his own name and others in the names of different people. These accounts were then used to channel funds to individuals involved in espionage activities. Investigators established that Rafiq Chand Sheikh was effectively functioning as a funding agent for Pakistan's ISI, meaning he was not just a link in the chain but a key figure handling the movement of money.
Arrest made on June 30, probe still underway
Based on this evidence, CID Intelligence Rajasthan arrested Rafiq Chand Sheikh on June 30, 2026. ADG Praful Kumar said the investigation in the case is far from over, and other individuals and transactions linked to this ISI financial network are being closely examined. He added that Rajasthan Police is keeping continuous watch on elements working against the country's security and will keep taking strict action against such activities.
