New Delhi: In a major development in the ongoing investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, it has emerged that the CRPF assistant sub-inspector (ASI) arrested last week for espionage, was posted in the Pahalgam until just five days before the April 22 terror attack.
Sources confirmed to ThePrint that Moti Ram Jat, now dismissed from service, was part of the CRPF’s 116th battalion deployed in the high-tourist zone before being transferred on April 17.
His proximity to the site of the deadly attack, where 26 civilians including a Nepali national were killed by foreign terrorists, has now become a significant focus of the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) probe.
From Posting to Custody
Reports claim that Moti Ram’s posting in the sensitive region and sudden transfer just days before the attack raised red flags. “He was shifted just five days before the incident in Baisaran Valley. That timing is critical,” an official told ThePrint.
The Haryana native was questioned for suspicious online activity and was handed over to the NIA on May 21, the same day he was dismissed from CRPF service for violating service conduct rules. He will reportedly remain in NIA custody till June 6.
An NIA spokesperson told ThePrint, “The accused had been involved in espionage since 2023 and passed sensitive operational and intelligence information to Pakistani handlers for money.” The agency is probing whether his activities had any bearing on the 22 April attack.
Jawan Among Many Others Arrested
Moti Ram is one of several individuals arrested in a wider crackdown on Pakistan-linked espionage networks. Others recently arrested include a student, a businessman, and a Haryana-based YouTuber, all suspected of either spying or amplifying anti-India narratives digitally.
Moti Ram's alleged communication with Pakistani operatives and receipt of funds through informal channels are now under scrutiny. “There were warning signs in his digital footprint, including suspicious social media interactions,” a CRPF source told ThePrint.
