Honey Trap (Social Media)
National News: Honey trap cases in India are no longer limited to personal blackmail or isolated crimes. They are increasingly posing a significant threat to national security, with foreign intelligence agencies, particularly Pakistan’s ISI, orchestrating organized espionage networks.
In a sensational development on May 31, the Special Cell of Delhi Police unearthed a major international espionage racket operating under the command of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The racket involved the use of foreign women, including a minor Pakistani girl, to target high-profile Indian individuals and extract sensitive information and money.
The operation led to the arrest of Mohammad Qasim and his brother Mohammad Haseen, alleged masterminds of the racket. The duo was found to be operating primarily in the Deeng district of Rajasthan. According to investigators, the gang used social media platforms, dating apps, and messaging services like Instagram and WhatsApp to lure their targets—most of whom were influential professionals.
So far, the police have confirmed that six foreign women were actively used in honey-trapping operations as part of this network.
The Special Cell's probe has revealed that, over the past five years, the network successfully trapped more than a dozen high-profile individuals in Delhi. These included doctors, scientists, defense research officers, and businessmen. In one instance, a doctor was blackmailed into handing over ₹9 lakh after being ensnared in the trap.
What has further alarmed intelligence agencies is the possible involvement of Hizb-Ut-Tahrir, an extremist organization with global links. Sources indicate that this may not be an isolated incident but part of a larger terror-linked espionage operation. This has prompted central intelligence units to raise red flags and heighten monitoring of similar threats nationwide.
These women—many of whom are trained for the job—establish online relationships through dating platforms and social media, building trust before moving to video chats and intimate exchanges. Once the target is emotionally or physically compromised, they are blackmailed using secretly recorded footage. In many cases, sensitive government or military information is extracted under pressure.
In just the first five months of this year, 320 women have been arrested in honey trap-related operations across Delhi. Of these:
85 were foreign nationals, including
The remaining 250 were Indian women involved in similar activities.
Conclusion
The latest revelations point to a disturbing evolution of honey trap tactics—from isolated crimes to weaponized espionage tools in the hands of foreign intelligence networks. This underscores the urgent need for:
Security agencies are now pushing for deeper collaboration between cybercrime units, immigration departments, and intelligence services to counter this growing multinational threat to India’s internal stability and defense integrity.
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