Overview
- Rajasthan’s Anti-Terror Squad arrested 38-year-old Babita Dhakad, also known as Khadija, and booked her under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in late June.
- Investigators say initial device forensics recovered Pakistani phone numbers and chat material allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed figures including contacts described as Yusuf Azhar and Qari Zarar.
- Police allege Dhakad was emotionally groomed online, converted after virtual contact with a preacher and a handler, and discussed marriage to a suspected JeM commander as a route to travel to Pakistan via Nepal.
- Officials report she admitted sharing one-time passwords for Indian mobile numbers with an overseas handler so those numbers could be used on messaging platforms, and she researched passports, crypto funding and reportedly searched for explosives; technical forensic work is ongoing to verify these claims.
- The case, which keeps Dhakad in custody through June 27 while probes continue, underscores Indian security concerns about social media grooming, cross-border handlers and the use of digital tools to enable militant networks.