Who is Arpita Sarkar? Woman at centre of Bengal's alleged Pakistan spy plot

Kolkata: The West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) is investigating an alleged Pakistan-backed plan to use an arrested woman as part of a larger espionage and honey-trap network, following the arrest of a suspected associate of an alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative.

According to STF officials, investigators are examining whether Pakistan-based handlers intended to expand the woman's role beyond honey-trap operations and use her to build a wider intelligence-gathering network in India.

The probe follows the arrest of Mohammed Hamim Mondal from Purba Bardhaman district on Friday. He was brought to Kolkata for interrogation later that night. The STF subsequently arrested Arpita Sarkar, who is alleged to be Mondal's associate.

Officials claim the duo had conspired to honey-trap the son of a West Bengal minister of state, abduct him and extort money from his family. Investigators allege the conspiracy was directed by Pakistan-based handlers linked to the Shahzad Bhatti gang.

An STF officer said investigators are exploring multiple angles in the case.

"We are investigating all aspects, including the communication channels used, the people who were in contact with the accused and whether any other individuals were being prepared for similar activities."

During the investigation, officials found that Mondal and Sarkar allegedly communicated with Pakistan-based handlers using encrypted messaging applications that function without mobile SIM cards.

Investigators have identified several suspected Pakistan-based handlers during questioning. Among the names that have surfaced are Rana, Uzair, Abid Jatt and Hamad, all of whom are being examined for possible links to the alleged network.

According to the STF, the messaging applications used by the accused make investigations more challenging.

"These applications allow communication without sharing phone numbers and do not store data on a specific server, making tracking more difficult."

Investigators are also examining Sarkar's social media activity. A resident of Barharwa in Jharkhand's Sahibganj district, Sarkar reportedly aspired to become a social media influencer and frequently posted photographs and videos related to modelling and motorcycle riding.

The STF suspects her online presence may have been exploited to establish contacts and recruit individuals as part of a broader espionage operation. Officials are now investigating whether others were similarly being groomed for the alleged network. The investigation is ongoing.