Chandigarh: Punjab Police have arrested an alleged spy with deep ties to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and top Khalistani terrorist Gopal Singh Chawla, in a major crackdown on cross-border espionage. The accused, identified as Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan, was reportedly involved in leaking sensitive details about Indian Army movements during Operation Sindoor, state police said on Tuesday.

In a joint operation conducted by the Counter-Intelligence unit and the Tarn Taran Police, Gagandeep Singh was arrested from Mohalla Rodupur, Gali Nazar Singh Wali in Tarn Taran. The state Director General of Police (DGP) shared details of the arrest in an official post on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the suspect’s sustained collaboration with Pakistani intelligence handlers and Khalistani operatives.

According to the preliminary investigation, Gagandeep had been in contact with Pakistan-based Gopal Singh Chawla for the past five years. Through Chawla, he was introduced to Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs), to whom he allegedly passed on classified military intelligence, including troop deployments and strategic locations.

Police recovered a mobile phone containing intelligence already shared with Pakistani handlers, as well as contact details of over 20 ISI-linked individuals. Investigators also discovered that the accused received payments through Indian financial channels, raising concerns about the breadth of the espionage network. A case has been registered under the Official Secrets Act.