The woman is believed to have been manipulated emotionally and was converted to Islam by a Muslim preacher online.
IMAGE: Kindly note that the image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo
A 38-year-old woman arrested here last week was allegedly preparing to travel to Pakistan via Nepal to marry a suspected terrorist commander believed to be a close associate of banned Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, officials said in Jaipur on Thursday.
Key Points
- The woman, identified as Babita Dhakad alias Khadija, had been on the radar of the military intelligence for many weeks.
- She was arrested by the ATS and booked under various sections of stringent UAPA on Sunday.
- A forensic analysis of her electronic devices showed many Pakistani numbers, including those of Yusuf Azhar, a close relative of the JeM chief.
The woman is believed to have been manipulated emotionally and was converted to Islam by a Muslim preacher online, they said.
The woman, identified as Babita Dhakad alias Khadija, had been on the radar of the military intelligence for many weeks, the officials said. She was arrested by the Anti-Terror Squad of the Rajasthan police and booked under various sections of stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on Sunday.
Babita is in police custody till June 27. A forensic analysis of her electronic devices showed many Pakistani numbers, which including those suspected to be that of Yusuf Azhar, a close relative of the JeM chief, and Qari Zarar who is wanted in India for several crimes, the officials said.
During investigation, Babita, who lived in her parents’ home in Jaipur’s Sitapura area, was found to have alleged links with members and supporters of the Pakistan-based banned terrorist organisation, they said.
Babita said she began searching for Pakistani terrorists on social media following the Pahalgam attack in 2025 and gradually developed contacts with several individuals linked to extremist circles.
She said during questioning that she started by browsing Facebook pages related to Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and sent friend requests to followers of such pages at random.
Over time, she became connected with several individuals out of curiosity, the officials told PTI.
“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,” the sources said.
At some point, she became friendly with Abu Ubaidah who initiated conversations with her.
“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 sourece said, quoting the FIR.
“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,” the FIR 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 expenses through cryptocurrency after which she downloaded cryptocurrency-related applications and researched the subject online.
The sources said the woman admitted to sharing one-time passwords (OTPs) received on her Indian mobile numbers to her Pakistani handler so he could operate the WhatsApp on her 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,” the official source said.
He also claimed that Babita searched online for methods of making explosives and had been informed by her Pakistani handler about networks operating in India.
However, a detailed technical analysis of her mobile will confirm the validity of the inputs provided by her. According to the sources, she showed no remorse during questioning.
The woman is the third among five siblings. Officials said she was married in 2018 but separated from her husband within a short period of time.
