A woman was arrested in Rajasthan’s Jaipur over her alleged links to the banned Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and was preparing to travel to Pakistan via Nepal to marry a man suspected of being a terror leader linked to the group.
The 38-year-old woman, identified as Babita Dhakad alias Khadija, was arrested on Sunday and booked under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), news agency PTI reported. She will remain in police custody until June 27.
Investigators claim that a forensic examination of her electronic devices revealed communications with several Pakistani nationals, including numbers allegedly linked to Yousaf Azhar, a close relative of JeM leader Masood Azhar, and wanted terrorist Qari Zarar.
Officials said Babita was under military intelligence surveillance for several weeks before her arrest.
The Pahalgam attack sparked an internet search
According to investigators, Babita told police that her interest in Pakistani militants began after the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.
During interrogation, she allegedly said that she started searching for Pakistani terrorists on social media and surfing Facebook pages linked to Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Investigators said an examination of her mobile phone and social media accounts revealed contacts with several Pakistani nationals and profiles allegedly linked to JeM operatives.
“She was communicating with several individuals residing in Pakistan via Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp,” the news agency report said, citing an unnamed official connected to the investigation.
“Chats, videos and contact details allegedly linked to members of the banned group were recovered from her devices. She admitted that she had shared one-time passwords (OTPs) linked to Indian mobile numbers with an operative of Jaish-e-Mohammed, which enabled those numbers to be used on social media and communication platforms there,” news agency sources said.
The alleged digital trail forms a key part of the case and is being examined further, officials said.
The so-called honey trap
Investigators say Babita eventually became close to a man known as Abu Ubaida, who allegedly initiated online conversations with her.
“She claimed that she developed romantic ties with Abu Ubaida and became interested in the Pakistan-based terrorist group JeM due to her admiration for the Mujahideen,” investigators told PTI.
Although Babita married in 2018, investigators said the marriage ended in separation shortly thereafter.
According to the FIR, Abu Ubaida allegedly proposed marriage to her and encouraged her to follow Islamic practices.
“She said that Abu Ubaida wanted to marry her and encouraged her to learn and practice Islamic teachings, including performing prayers and reading the Quran. She was invited to Pakistan to work with JeM. As part of the process, she was asked to obtain a passport,” the FIR said.
An official source added that she spent hours chatting and video calling him before later discovering that he was already married.
Travel and marriage plans in Pakistan
Investigators allege that online discussions between Babita, Abu Ubaida and a cleric extended to possible routes for her travel to Pakistan.
The trio discussed reaching Pakistan via Nepal, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. They also allegedly explored ways to finance the trip using cryptocurrency.
Babita downloaded cryptocurrency-related apps and researched the topic online as part of those discussions, police said.
The officials claimed that Babita was emotionally manipulated online and converted to Islam after she came into contact with a preacher on social media.
Investigators said that she began living under the name Khadija and deepened her connection to Internet networks linked to extremist circles.
The agency’s report added that Babita searched the Internet for information related to making explosives, and her Pakistani handler informed her of the existence of networks operating inside India.
However, investigators said a detailed technical analysis of her mobile phone is still underway and will determine the accuracy of the information she provided during interrogation.
(with PTI inputs)
