The accused have been identified as Rashmin Ravindra Pal, detained from Goa, and A.K. Singh, taken into custody from Daman. Investigators said Singh had previously served as a Subedar in the Indian Army and was in contact with Pakistani handlers. He is accused of providing financial support and facilitating the exchange of sensitive information.
ATS officials said both suspects were communicating with Pakistan-based operatives through encrypted channels. They have been brought to Gujarat for further interrogation, and officials are examining digital devices and communication records to determine the extent of the intelligence breach.
The arrests come days after the ATS detained another individual, Ahmed Mohyuddin Syed, on November 7. Syed was tracked for several hours before he was intercepted near Kalol late at night. He is suspected of involvement in anti-national activities and is being questioned separately.
The heightened security action follows the November 10 car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which killed nine people and injured several others. While authorities have not linked the ATS arrests to the blast, central agencies are coordinating to examine possible cross-connections.
This is the third major ATS operation in recent months. Four months ago, the agency arrested four individuals affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), including two men from Gujarat. Investigators said the group was propagating extremist ideology online and circulating jihadist literature through closed digital networks.
Officials said the latest arrests indicate continued attempts by foreign intelligence agencies and extremist organisations to recruit individuals with access to sensitive information. The ATS is expected to brief the Centre once preliminary interrogation is complete.
