Jaipur woman tries to go to Pak via Nepal to marry Jaish commander, arrested

A 38-year-old woman arrested in Jaipur last week was allegedly preparing to travel to Pakistan through Nepal to marry a suspected terrorist commander believed to be a close associate of banned Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, officials said on Thursday. Investigators said the woman had been emotionally manipulated and was converted to Islam by an online preacher.

The woman, identified as Babita Dhakad alias Khadija, had been under military intelligence watch for several weeks, the officials said. She was arrested by the Rajasthan Police Anti-Terror Squad on Sunday and booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. She is in police custody till June 27.

Officials said a forensic analysis of her electronic devices found several Pakistani numbers, including some suspected to be linked to Yusuf Azhar, a close relative of the JeM chief, and Qari Zarar, who is wanted in India in several cases.

According to officials, Babita lived at her parents' home in Jaipur's Sitapura area and was found to have alleged links with members and supporters of the Pakistan-based banned organisation. During questioning, she said she began searching for Pakistani terrorists on social media after the Pahalgam attack in 2025 and gradually developed contacts with people linked to extremist circles.

She told investigators that she first browsed Facebook pages related to Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and sent friend requests at random to followers of those pages, after which she connected with several people out of curiosity.

"An examination of her mobile phone and social media accounts revealed contacts with several Pakistani nationals and profiles allegedly associated with JeM operatives. She had been communicating with multiple Pakistan-based individuals through Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp," an official linked to the investigation said. "Chats, videos and contact details allegedly linked to members of the banned outfit were recovered from her devices.

She confessed to have shared one-time passwords (OTPs) connected to Indian mobile numbers with a JeM operative, enabling the use of those numbers on social media and communication platforms there," sources said.

Officials said she later became friendly with Abu Ubaidah, who first got in touch with her. Quoting the FIR, a source said, "She claimed that she developed emotional ties with Abu Ubaidah and became interested in the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed due to her admiration for the mujahideen. She frequently viewed and liked social media posts and reels featuring weapons uploaded by members or supporters of the organisation."

The FIR also said, "She said that Abu Ubaidah wanted to marry her and encouraged her to learn and practise Islamic teachings, including offering prayers and reading the Quran. She was invited to Pakistan to work for Jaish-e-Mohammed. As part of the process, she was asked to obtain a passport."

Investigators said she discussed travel arrangements with Abu Ubaidah and the cleric, who suggested routes through Nepal, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. They also discussed funding her travel through cryptocurrency, after which she downloaded cryptocurrency-related applications and researched the subject online. Sources said she admitted to sharing OTPs received on her Indian mobile numbers with her Pakistani handler so he could operate WhatsApp on those numbers there.

"The woman spent several hours chatting and video-calling with Abu Ubaidah. She later learned that he was married, which left her disappointed," an official source said. The official also claimed that she had searched online for ways to make explosives and had been told by her Pakistani handler about networks operating in India. Officials said a detailed technical analysis of her mobile phone will confirm the validity of the inputs she gave during questioning, and added that she showed no remorse.

Officials said Babita is the third among five siblings. They added that she was married in 2018 but separated from her husband within a short time. The case, they said, centres on her alleged online links with Pakistan-based JeM members and supporters, her reported travel plans, and the material recovered from her devices.

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