Ghaziabad, March 27: In a major development, police have invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against 21 suspects involved in a Pakistan-linked espionage racket. The accused, including a woman and six juveniles, were allegedly passing sensitive information to handlers across the border through social media platforms and other covert means.
Investigators revealed that the suspects had installed CCTV cameras near sensitive locations such as Delhi Cantonment and Sonipat railway station to monitor movements and share footage with their handlers. One of the accused has been identified as Sameer alias Shooter from Bihar, while others were picked up from different parts of Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Region.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Indirapuram) Abhishek Srivastava confirmed that UAPA provisions have been added to the case, making it a high-priority national security investigation. The invocation of UAPA allows investigators up to 180 days to file a chargesheet and imposes stricter bail conditions on the accused.
Officials indicated that the case may soon be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) given its interstate and cross-border dimensions. The police have registered cases under multiple sections and continue to interrogate the suspects to uncover the full extent of the network.
The racket has raised serious concerns about vulnerabilities in sensitive installations and the growing use of social media for espionage activities. Authorities are tightening surveillance and reviewing security protocols to prevent similar breaches in the future.
