The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested a young Indian man on Thursday who was allegedly in contact with a Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO) and had been sharing classified information over social media platforms, an ATS officer said. The arrest was made following a tip-off received by the ATS, which led to a deep investigation into the youth’s digital communications.

FB friend to foreign agent

According to the ATS officer, the investigation uncovered that the accused first came in contact with the PIO in November 2021 through Facebook. “What began as a seemingly innocuous interaction soon turned into a dangerous liaison. Over the next one-and-a-half years — between November 2021 and May 2023 — the man allegedly sent sensitive regional information to the agent via WhatsApp,” the officer said. The information, as per ATS officials, was “classified and restricted” under Indian law.